Reading To Change The Future: At Hogwarts! POA
by SuperWriterToTheRescue
Summary: Hogwarts, the present Order Of The Phoenix, the gross Ministry Of Magic employees, the horrible Dursleys and that Ugly Toad we all know about read Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. Rated "T" To Be Safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello guys. So you might be wondering "what the heck is SuperWriterToTheRescue doing because she all ready had one of these, quit, and made another one, and we already have enough!" I will now answer why.**

**Well yeah, I did have one of these stories but it was a big flop (Ha-ha I suck) and I never ever updated and I really didn't like my story and I was BUSY and not even interested, so I never worked on it. But that will all change now, because I simply have time and I actually want to right one of these again. Also, I deleted my old story, so completely forget about that stupid one and yeah, I hope you enjoy the new one.**

**So hopefully you enjoy the remake, and tell me what ya think (in reviews of course). **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter and in no way am I associated with it either. Also with the writing and all, that is not an act of plagiarism and in no way is it meant (or initiated) to be an act of plagiarism. Just take it like this, all of the words in bold (except my authors notes) belong to the amazing J K. Rowling. **

**Hope you enjoy it! :) **

**Oh yeah, and this takes place right at the start of Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. (So he has just started his classes)**

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PROLOUGE 

One day, Albus Dumbledore was walking through the corridors and back to his office (The Headmaster's office.), after a few hours of walking through the many hallways of the Wizarding School, Hogwarts.

After a few minutes, Dumbledore had arrived to his office entrance. He quickly said the password, "lemon drops" and had walked inside to his huge office.

He walked up to his desk, and noticed a strange looking parcel lying on top of it. _I didn't put that here, so who could it be?_

Dumbledore picked up the parcel, and noticed that there was a letter attached to it. He carefully tore the letter off of the package and began to read it.

_Dear Headmaster Dumbledore,_

_Hello! So you might be wondering what the parcel on the desk in all about? Here, I will explain it._

_So if you have opened the package yet, you would notice a bunch of books containing the name, "HARRY POTTER" in the title. Well, that is because these books ARE about Harry's life, and we have sent them back into the past because we feel that you guys could all change the future (in a good way of course) and we believe it is important that you do, for the sake of yourselves and us. _

_For example, if you guys would change the future correctly, my parents and uncle would be alive, and you would avoid all of the other bad deaths also that are very important. _

_Okay so the next step is that you got to read the books and a quick note is that you can't stop reading until you finish all of the books. So who you have to read it with? Well, it would be best to read them to all of Hogwarts, some people from the Ministry, the three Dursleys, and most of the order. That way it would all make sense to everyone. _

_Also, Professor Dumbledore, reread the letter to everyone so they will completely understand, and I will add a quick note about Sirius Black, to read to everyone, about how he is innocent:_

_You may be wondering why Sirius Black in here right now, but that is because he is completely innocent, and has been framed, and for information about how and why, the books have it all! So READ! _

_So thank you very much, and remember, you are reading to change the future!_

_Sincerely,_

_TRL and the rest of the future gang._

"Hmm, so there are books about Harry's life that could possibly change the future in a good way? Well, we better start reading," announced Dumbledore.

He then dumped the contents of the package and grabbed the first Harry Potter book they were supposed to read. (There was a note on the books.)

The first books they were supposed to read, was called, **Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**. 

Dumbledore then took out a few pieces of parchment and wrote notes to all of the people who weren't currently in Hogwarts and he also sent a note to Minerva McGonagall, instructing her to call everyone into the great hall.

After sending each letter, he grabbed the book, and walked out of his office ready to begin the reading session about Harry's life.

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"Hey guys, do you have any clue of to why we're here?" asked Harry Potter to his best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. They were sitting in the Great Hall, upon McGonagall's request to all. She had said that Dumbledore had something important to talk about, _but what_?

"No clue," muttered Ron. "Hey, but I bet it's good because it got us all out of Potions Class."

Hermione sighed, "Well, whatever it is, it must be REALLY important to take every student, teacher, and caretaker out of their work."

Harry nodded his head, "You're completely right, but hopefully it's good news.

All of a sudden, they were interrupted by Dumbledore's loud and booming voice. "Hello everyone, you may be wondering why I have called for you all, well I have some important news, but first, we must wait for some guests to arrive."

That brought a new topic for everyone to discuss. Guests? What _guests_?

"Why guests in Dumbledore possibly talking about?" asked Harry. Ron and Hermione shook their heads.

All of a sudden they were joined by Fred, George and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Dean and Seamus

"Hey guys, do you have any clue of what Dumbles is talking about?" asked Fred to all of them.

"_Dumbles_? What the heck Fred!" exclaimed Ron, while all of the others laughed.

"We have no clue, Fred." Replied Harry, still smirking from Ron and Fred's comments.

"Hey you guys mind if we join you here then?" asked George.

"It's no problem."

Suddenly, Snape burst into the Great Hall, and exclaimed, "There here, Albus!"

Dumbledore nodded. "Okay everyone, settle down. The guests are here."

Everyone's heads turned to the front door. The doors flew open and people who entered, Harry recognized immediately.

They were some of the members from the order. First came in Alastor Moody, who had the same usual paranoid expression on his face. Next stepped in Kingsley Shacklebolt, who looked the same calmness, he usually had. Next stepped in Molly and Arthur Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacor. The Weasleys had a look of interest on their faces, and Fleur had a look of _why am I 'ere, I 'ave better things to do. _ Next was none other than Sirius Black, who gave a look of panic to everyone, yet he was still grinning, Remus Lupin, who sent gasps of happiness and shock into the many students, and he was smiling, probably because he was back at Hogwarts, and Nymphadora Tonks, who was beaming. She probably hadn't tripped yet.

That whole lot came in and greeted Harry, and everyone else at the table, and then they then settled down there.

The next wave of people, Harry recognized, but greatly disliked. There was Fudge, the Minister Of Magic, the Dursleys, whom Harry HATED, and some other Ministry employees. Luckily, they sat at another table.

Before a lot of fights could happen between everyone, Dumbledore spoke up. "You guys are probably wondering what is going on and why some of you guys are here. I have a letter that will explain everything, so calm down and listen. Dumbledore then reread the letter he got sent.

Everyone had different expression on their face. Some were annoyed about there being a series on Harry, like most Slytherins. Some were absolutely in shock and surprised, and still had no clue of what was going on. Some were overwhelmed and disgusted by all the Wizards, Witches and Magic, the Dursleys. Some still had looks of panic on their face because of Sirius. Some had expressions of deep shock, such as the Ministry employees. Sirius Black was innocent? Some had evil grins, Umbridge, and so on and so forth. Also, they were A LOT of people wondering who this mysterious TRL was.

Dumbledore then spoke again. "As you have now got some time to think about it, I believe we should start with the book now. I will read first.

**Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. **Dumbledore read.

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**A/N: I'm already starting to like this story more than the other one. :D**

**So how do you think the prologue was? Do you think the story sounds like it's going to be good? Do you like the plot and what do you guys think I could improve on? What characters do you want? What books do you want me to cover? Do you think I'm annoying with all of these questions? Better not answer the last one.**

**So thank you all very much, and there is a 99% chance I will have my first REAL chapter up tomorrow. So stay tuned, and please review! **

5


	2. Chapter 2: OWL POST

**A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAH I LIED! **

**I just couldn't wait longer so I'll just post this chapter up today. Its pretty surprising the other 1% won right? Haha. **

**So I hope you enjoy this one, and I hope you enjoyed the other one! So now let's begin!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter and in no way am I associated with it either. Also with the writing and all, that is not an act of plagiarism and in no way is it meant (or initiated) to be an act of plagiarism. Just take it like this, all of the words in bold (except my authors notes) belong to the amazing J K. Rowling. **

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OWL POST

**Owl Post **read Dumbledore.

**Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways.**

"Agreed," stated Fred.

"Thanks Fred. Thanks a lot," replied Harry. Everyone else at the table laughed.

**For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year.**

Some students gasped. Molly sighed. How could Harry ever enjoy his summer holidays with those nitwit Dursleys?

**For another, he really wanted to do his homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night.**

McGonagall sent a dirty look over to the Dursleys, as did many others.

_What kind of child is forced to do their homework?_ She thought.

**And he also happened to be a wizard.**

"You know, just to top everything off," joked George. Some people chuckled at that.

**It was nearly midnight, and he was lying on his stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over his head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large**** leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot)**

"Ugh. The most boring subject," said one of the students, and Harry couldn't help but agree.

Professor Binns, who taught the class, sent the student a dirty look.

Hermione, however, disagreed. "History Of Magic is a wonderful and interesting class," she said, and Ron could not hide his smirk. She then sent him a dirty look and he sighed. He would never understand Hermione.

Binns sent Hermione a proud look; after all, she was one of his favourite students.

**propped open against the pillow. Harry moved the tip of his eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as he looked for something that would help him write his essay, "Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless discuss."**

"Easy. It was pointless because the Witch and/or Wizard would just perform the basic Flame Freezing Charm, would pretend that they were actually being hurt, and whatever the muggles were doing would be completely pointless. Also Wendelin the Weird allowed herself to be caught about forty-seven times, just for the fun of it," stated Remus. Half of the school stared at him in amazement and shock.

"And Remus … you know this why?" asked a puzzled Sirius.

"Well you know, I uh … just cause," answered Remus, blushing. The others broke out into laughter.

**The quill paused at the top of a likely-looking paragraph. Harry Pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose, moved his flashlight closer to the book, and read:**

**Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wi****zard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than fortyseven times in various disguises.**

Most of the school all stared at Remus, even more shocked.

"That was pretty much spot on!" exclaimed Ron, and Remus grinned back at him.

**Harry put his quill between his teeth and reached underneath his pillow for his ink bottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully he unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped his quill into it, and began to write, pausing every now**** and then to listen, because if any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of his quill on their way to the bathroom, he'd probably find himself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer.**

The school looked confused and went silent.

Harry quickly looked away from everyone who was currently staring at him. _How in the world does the author know that? Shoot, everyone's going to know EVERYTHING. I hate this book!_

"Wait … what?" asked Sirius breaking the silence.

"What does that mean, Harry?" asked Remus.

Everyone's attention was now focused on Harry, making him feel very uncomfortable. _Should I lie now? I probably shouldn't, as I bet Sirius will know I'm lying …_ "Uh … well … I used to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs, and that was pretty much my bedroom. I got upgraded to a real bedroom though, so there's no need to worry!"

Sirius and Remus didn't look convinced about "not worrying" though. They sent the most murderous looks they could at the Dursleys as did others.

Sirius then was brought to another thing. "Why in the world is he living with those people?" asked Sirius to Dumbledore, trying to keep very calm. "Look how they've treating him! LIKE GARBAGE! Did you know of this?"

Dumbledore looked at the Dursleys. "Actually, I was not notified of this behaviour," said Dumbledore in his sternest voice, making him sound really angry, which he was.

The Dursleys were cowering in fear, and they were refusing to look at anyone.

"But don't worry; I will surely talk to them about this," said Dumbledore.

Harry didn't know why, but he was sort of sorry for the Dursleys. No one in the world would want Dumbledore to be cross with them, and that was what he was with the Dursleys.

"I will now start reading again," said Dumbledore with a much kinder voice.

**The Dursley family of number four, Privet D****rive, was the reason that Harry never enjoyed his summer holidays. **

More death looks were sent at the Dursleys.

**Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and their son, Dudley, were Harry's only living relatives.**

"I am so hurt, Harry," said Sirius, with heavy sarcasm.

"Sirius of course I consider you my relative! I never knew you back then!" exclaimed Harry.

"I'm here too …" said Remus.

"Remus, I consider you my relative too! How could you ever think I didn't?"

"Harry …" said Ron.

"Oh my god Ron! You're like a brother to me and Hermione; you are like a sister to me, and same with you Tonks! Also, to all of the Weasleys, I consider you guys as my family too!"

They all smiled at him, and then Harry smiled back at them. Without all of them, his life would be completely empty, and he was very grateful for all of them. Even the twins, who pulled pranks all the time.

**They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude toward magic. Harry's dead parents,**

The room was once again dead silent, as everyone thought about James and Lily.

**who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursleys' roof.**

Dirty looks were sent over towards the Dursleys and Tonks was the first one to speak-no- yell.

"YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN MENTION HIS PARENTS? HOW THICK ARE YOUR HEADS! YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE. YOU GUYS ARE A BUNCH OF THICK-HEADED IDIOTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IMPRESSIONS AND HAVE NO HEARTS! YOU GUYS ARE-"

Tonks was interrupted by Mad-Eye. "Nymphadora! Calm down! I think they get it!"

"Moody! Don't call me Nymphadora and fine!" Tonks obeyed, but she was still sending dirty looks at the Dursleys.

"I couldn't have put that any better," said Sirius, with the slightest smile. "And man are you loud!"

To prove that point, Sirius indicating towards Remus who was rubbing his ears. It had been extra loud to him, due to his sensitive hearing.

"I guess I get it from your mum, and sorry Remus," joked Tonks, but she was still sending dirty looks at the Dursleys.

**For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept Harry as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of him.**

"Though it hasn't been possible!" joked Harry.

**To their fury, they had been unsuccessful. These days they lived in terror of anyone finding out that Harry had spent most of the last two years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The most they could do, however, was to lock away Harry's spellbooks, wand, cauldron, and broomstick at the start of the summer break, and forbid him to talk to the neighbors.**

More dirty looks were sent over.

"You guys are disgusting," stated Molly, and everyone agreed.

**This separation from his spellbooks had been a real problem for Harry, because his teachers at Hogwarts had given him a lot of holiday work.**

"And that just proves that you guys give us way too much homework that is dependent on text books," stated Lee Jordan.

McGonagall sighed. "Mr Weasley, the holiday work is mandatory and proven to help students."

"Yeah, help a lot with stressing out children," joked George. Molly then sent him a dirty look which made him add, "Or maybe it does actually help." The others laughed.

**One of the essays, a p****articularly nasty one about shrinking potions, was for Harry's least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, who would be delighted to have an excuse to give Harry detention for a month.**

"Only because you would deserve it," said Snape.

**Harry had therefore seized his chance in the first week of the holidays. While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too),**

"Show-offs," muttered a student who had come to dislike the Dursleys, and everyone pretty much agreed.

**Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs,**

"Harry! You can pick locks? I am so proud!" said Sirius, and he was serious. (Pun intended)

"What great parenting skills," said Remus with sarcasm, and the others laughed.

**grabbed some of his books, and hid them in his bedroom. As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night.**

**Harry was particularly keen to avoid trouble with his aun****t and uncle at the moment, as they were already in an especially bad mood with him, all because he'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school vacation.**

Ron blushed. He remembered that phone conversation completely. It had been one of the most traumatizing experiences of his life.

**Ron Weasley, who was one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts, came from**** a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Harry didn't, but had never used a telephone before. Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call.**

Fred and George snickered. This was going to be good.

**"Vernon Dursley speaking."**

**Harry, who happened to be in the roo****m at the time, froze as he heard Ron's voice answer.**

"Harry, I am still very sorry for that," apologised Ron.

"Look Ron, it's not really that big of a deal. Besides, now we can just laugh over it," said Harry with a grin, and Ron grinned back.

"I suppose."

**"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I - WANT - TO - TALK - TO - HARRY - POTTER!"**

Ron was blushing so much that it looked like his cheeks were the same colour of his hair.

"Oh Ronald," sighed Molly, who was smiling.

**Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it wit****h an expression of mingled fury and alarm.**

**"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?"**

"Somebody who doesn't know how to use a phone," said Ginny.

"OI! Ginny, I doubt you could," retorted Ron.

"Actually, Hermione taught me."

"Shoot. Fine then," said Ron while sending Hermione a _why didn't you ever offer that option to me _look.

**"RON - WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M - A -**** FRIEND - OF - HARRY'S - FROM - SCHOOL -"**

**Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Harry, who was rooted to the spot.**

"Hey it wasn't his fault!" exclaimed Ron to Uncle Vernon who ignored him.

"Ron, he probably just ignored that fact, you know?" said Harry.

**"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. ****"I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOURE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"**

"Somebody needs anger management classes," joked Dean.

**And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.**

**The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever.**

Ron was just about to say something when Harry interrupted him. "Ron! I told you it's okay!"

"But still! I'm sorry!"

**"H****OW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE - PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying Harry with spit.**

"Eww," sated a first year and everyone laughed.

**Ron obviously realized that he'd gotten Harry into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Harry's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermi****one Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year,**

Hermione grinned. "Thanks Harry."

"Hey, I'm just saying the truth!"

**had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have had enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts.**

"Are you saying that I have no sense?" joked Ron.

"No, not at all," joked Harry back. Then the two burst out laughing.

**So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, **

"Yeah guys, and I really appreciated that."

**and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was just one very small improvement - ****after swearing that he wouldn't use her to send letters to any of his friends, Harry had been allowed to let his owl, Hedwig, out at night. Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time.**

"Poor Hedwig," said Hagrid. "Those owl ain't meant to be locked up like that,"

**Harry fini****shed writing about Wendelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of his enormous cousin, Dudley. **

"I believe enormous is just an understatement," joked Tonks, causing everyone to burst out laughing. The Dursleys sent her murderous looks, but she could care less. She was a trained Auror, and they were muggles. They couldn't do anything.

Moody sent Tonks a proud look. She actually was cleaver, and her carelessness was something to be proud of-sometimes. Only in situations like this.

**It must be very late, Harry thought. His eyes were itching with tiredness. Perhaps he'd finish this essay tomorrow night...**

**He replaced the top of the ink bottle; pulled an old pillowcase from under his bed; put the flashlight, A History of Magic, his essay, quill, and ink inside it; got out of bed; and hid the lot under a loose fl****oorboard under his bed. Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on his bedside table.**

**It was one o'clock in the morning. Harry's stomach gave a funny jolt. He had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a ****whole hour.**

"HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY!" exclaimed half of Hogwarts making Harry jump in surprise.

"Uh thanks!" he exclaimed, and he was actually thankful for everyone even though it wasn't his birthday.

**Yet another unusual thing about Harry was how little he looked forward to his birthdays. He had never received a birthday card in his life. The Dursleys had completely ignored his last two birthdays, and he had no reason to suppose they would**** remember this one.**

More dirty looks were sent over.

"Well it was sort of expected, since the Dursleys are a bunch of heartless thick-headed idiots, just like Tonks said earlier," explained Remus, and Tonks blushed a little.

"Well it is true,"

"Never said it wasn't," joked Remus, causing Tonks to blush even more.

"Curse you Remus, and your logic," retorted Tonks with a giant smile and Remus returned the smile.

"What a bunch of lovebirds," muttered Sirius to himself.

**Harry walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. He leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on his face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. Ha****rry wasn't worried about her: she'd been gone this long before. But he hoped she'd be back soon - she was the only living creature in this house who didn't flinch at the sight of him.**

Harry smiled thinking about Hedwig. She truly was an amazing owl.

**Harry, though still rather small and skinny for his age, had grown a ****few inches over the last year. His jet-black hair, however, was just as it always had been - stubbornly untidy,**

"Just like James's hair," stated Sirius with a smile.

**whatever he did to it. The eyes behind his glasses were bright green, **

"Just like Lily's eyes," added Remus.

**and on his forehead, clearly visible through his hair, was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning.**

**Of all the unusual things about Harry, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. It was not, as the Dursleys had pretended for ten years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed Harry's parents, **

"CAR CRASH? YOU THINK IT WAS A CAR CRASH?" screamed Remus.

He was going to say more, but the Dursleys were already shaking in fear, and he decided to just leave it. He'd yell at them later.

**because Lily and Jam****es Potter had not died in a car crash. They had been murdered, murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort.**

A few people gasped and flinched on hearing his name.

**Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, where Voldemort's**

Gasping and Flinching.

**curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort**

Gasping and Flinching.

**had fled...**

**But Harry had come face-to-face with him at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as he stood at the dark window, Harry had to admit he was lucky even to have r****eached his thirteenth birthday.**

_That shouldn't have to be a truth _thought Sirius. _Harry does not deserve this. Nobody would deserve that, EVER._

**He scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring**

**back to him with a dead mouse dangling from her beak, expecting praise. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Harry realized what he was seeing.**

**Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large,**** strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction. He stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second he hesitated, his hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut. **

"Yeah, the owls would totally appreciate that, after all that flying," joked Fred (who had figured out that the animals were owls) and Harry sent him a fake offended look.

**But then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Harry, realizing what it was, leapt aside.**

**Through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on Harry's bed, an****d the middle owl, which was large and gray, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs.**

**Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once - his name was Errol, **

"Of course Errol is the one that's knocked out," sighed Ron.

"Hey Ron! Errol is the best owl in the world! You just don't understand him …" said Ginny.

"And of course Ginny is the one to defend him," Ron joked to himself.

**and he belonged to the Weasley family. Harry dashed to the b****ed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.**

**Harry turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the lar****ge snowy female, was his own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel and looked extremely pleased with herself. **

"'Bit proud, ain't she?" asked Seamus.

"Hey! She's an amazing owl, she can be proud if she wants!" exclaimed Harry.

"Hey! I never said otherwise …."

**She gave Harry an affectionate nip with her beak as he removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol.**

**Harry didn't recognize the**** third owl, a handsome tawny one, but he knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third package, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest. When Harry relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night.**

**Harry sat down on his bed and grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and his first ever birthday card.**

Harry blushed. _Not only is the book annoying, it has to be embarrassing too!_ Before someone could say something though he quickly said, "It's alright. I never even wanted a birthday card from them!"

**Fingers trembling slightly, he**** opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out - a letter and a newspaper clipping.**

**The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. Harry picked up the c****lipping, smoothed it out, and read:**

**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE**

All the Weasleys (except Percy) grinned at remembering that one summer. "It had truly been a great thing that Arthur had won that prize.

**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.**

"Yah Arthur!" exclaimed Sirius, Tonks, Kingsley and Remus.

**A delighted Mr. Weasl****ey told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."**

"That sounded like a really cool job, how was it?" asked Tonks.

"Oh well, it was really interesting working in Egypt. The pyramids were really interesting, though I could have done without all of that heat," replied Bill. "Though, it's good to be back here," he added while looking at Fleur and his family.

**The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of th****e new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.**

**Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face as he saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at him, standing in front of a large pyramid. P****lump little Mrs. Weasley;**

The other Weasleys realised they were also going to be described and got excited.

They all wanted to see how Harry thought about all of them.

**tall, balding Mr. Weasley; **

_Accurate description_ thought Arthur.

**six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. **

"Yup, the famous Weasley hair," added Hermione.

**Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling,**

"Gangling?" asked Ron to Harry. "Out of all descriptions you use _gangling_?"

"Oh come on Ron, you were really really tall, nobody would have ever thought you were thirteen," explained Harry.

"I guess, but still!"

**with his pet rat, Scabbers,**

Sirius, Remus, Harry, Hermione and Ron all growled at the same time one hearing the traitor's name.

A bunch of people and students were confused. Why were those five growling because of a rat?

**on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.**

**Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys,**

All the Weasleys (except Percy) were beaming at Harry.

**who were very nice and extremely poor.**

"Sorry," apologised Harry.

"What do you mean sorry?" asked Molly. "Harry, it's commonly known that we aren't as wealthy as others."

Harry just smiled back in reply. He was defiantly right. He didn't know anyone better than the Weasleys who deserved that large of a pile of gold. Besides Remus of course.

**He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.**

**Dear Harry,**

**Happ****y birthday!**

**Look, I' really sorry about that telephone call.**

"Yes Ron we get it," said Harry before Ron could add on to that.

**I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted.**

**It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe**** the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one.**

"And I am still upset about that," added Ginny.

"Aw, come on Ginny, you were only twelve," replied Molly.

"Yeah, but I could have still handled that, I bet I wouldn't be screaming like Ron."

The others broke out into laughter and Ron blushed. "Hey! We all know that was because Fred and George purposely scared me!"

"Sure it was," said Fred as he rolled his eyes.

"Aw come on Ronnie, don't be scared to admit that you were absolutely terrified," added Fred.

"Just drop it," muttered Ron.

**There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.**

Some of the students shuddered in the thought of skeletons. Other students became extremely jealous. Egypt sounded like such a cool place!

**I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prop****het Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.**

Harry and Ron shivered remembering the traumatic experience in which Ron's old wand broke.

"How in the world did you manage that?" asked Dean curiously.

"Oh well, I'll put into one easy sentence. We ran into the Whomping Willow, and BOOM, my wand was broken," explained Ron with a grim expression.

"Yeah, I don't think you want to ever to run into the Whomping Willow again," said Remus, who understood that tree perfectly.

"Yup. I also almost got clobbered by it during my first year," added Sirius, gleefully. Remus just sighed remembering that memory.

"And only Sirius can be so proud about that," added Tonks, grinning.

**Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been fly****ing to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds.**

Arthur, Molly, Ron and Harry grimaced at the memory.

**We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?**

**Don't let the Muggles get you down!**

**Try an****d come to London,**

**Ron**

**P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.**

The Weasleys all scowled at the mention of Percy.

**Harry glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perch****ed jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun.**

The Weasleys (all except Molly, who was close to tears) were all frowning.

"Thick-headed much," muttered Fred.

Percy didn't reply however. He was with his fellow Ministry employees who he wished to make a good impression on. Fighting with Fred would be very immature and he refused to do so. _They're just a bunch of unappreciative idiots _he thought to himself.

**Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.**

**Harry - this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish**

"Because it is! They are just scams sold to make money!" defended Bill.

"Some might be," said Ron. "But this one actually proved to be useful and reliable. Just wait and see."

Bill looked like he was going to say something, but he didn't. Maybe Ron was right. He'd just wait.

**sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realiz****e Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.**

Bill sent the twins dirty looks. "Maybe you're right Ron."

**Bye -**

**Ron**

**Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of his clock. He looked at it happily for a few seconds,**** then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought.**

**Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione.**

**Dear Harry,**

**Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right****.**

**I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you - what if they'd opened it at customs?**

"Actually that sounds like it would be pretty funny …" suggested Fred. Remus and Sirius snickered.

"NO. Fred, NO," replied Molly.

"Fine mum," said Fred with a sigh, but then he sent George a _we'll discuss this later _look. George saw, and acted like nothing had happen. Instead he put a fake look of disappointment on his face.

**- but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change. I bough****t your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world), Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous **

"Only Hermione could be jealous about learning," joked Tonks.

"Hey! Learning is awesome!" defended Hermione, and many students were looking at her confusedly.

**- the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**

**There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not to****o long - it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.**

Binns smiled at Hermione. "It was defiantly worth the O (outstanding) mark," he said and Hermione beamed. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry snickered.

**Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Ho****gwarts Express on September first!**

**Love from Hermione**

**P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased Ron doesn't seem too happy about it**

"Well why would I since he was being such a prat about it," said Ron.

Percy just growled and didn't say anything. _Ron is such an annoying brat!_

**Harry laughed as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Kn****owing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells**

"Which I would have still enjoyed," added Harry quickly.

"Nice save," whispered Ron to Harry.

**- but it wasn't. His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.**

Harry smiled remembering how much he had enjoyed that and Ron's gift.

**"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.**

"I am very impressed," joked Fred and Hermione sent him a dirty look.

**There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tall-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and**** a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.**

Some students gasped in awe about how great that stuff was. Some now immediately wished they had a kit if their own.

**Apart from his friends, the thing that Harry missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch,**

There was cheering from the students and some of the guests.

**the most popular sport in the magical world - highly dangerous, very exciting, and played on broomsticks. Harry happened to b****e a very good Quidditch player;**

"Very good? You're amazing!" complimented Katie Bell.

Harry blushed. "Thanks."

**he had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts House teams.**

"Well it's no surprise since you're really that good," said Lee and Harry smiled back at him. Some of the Slytherins Quidditch players (including Malfoy) scowled. Potter wasn't that great of a player.

**One of Harry's most prized possessions was his Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom.**

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" exclaimed a student. "Those broomsticks are brilliant!"

Harry gave a small smile. He really missed his old Nimbus broomstick. Though the Firebolt was twice as good, and he knew he shouldn't be sad.

**Harry put the leather case aside and picked up**** his last parcel. He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. **

Hagrid blushed a little at the mention og his bad handwriting. He really needed to improve on that.

**He tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly - as though it had jaws**

The students from those years froze remembering that horrifying book.

**Harry froze. He knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous.**

Hagrid blushed once again.

**Hagri****d had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.**

McGonagall was sending Hagrid questioning looks, which he pretended not to notice.

**Harry poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped**** it firmly in one hand, and raised it over his head, ready to strike. Then he seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled.**

**And out fell - a book. Harry just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden**** title The Monster Book of Monsters, before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.**

Some of the students who hadn't been around that time, grinned. That book sounded really cool.

**"Uh-oh," Harry muttered.**

**The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Harry followed ****it stealthily.**

"Descriptive much," said Lee with a grin.

"Hey! It's not like this book was written by me," defended Harry.

"Actually, the book is from your perspective but in a third-person view," said Remus matter-of-factly. "And when has being so descriptive been a bad thing?"

"I suppose," said Harry but what he was thinking was _Tonks was right! Curse Remus and his logic!_

**The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk.**

"When a thing is hiding in a dark space under a desk, you know it's dangerous," joked a random student, causing a bit of laughter.

**Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached toward it.**

**"Ouch!"**

**The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him,**

"Whoa, I never knew books could be so aggressive," stated Sirius.

_These people are a bunch of freaks and that book freak-Harry got, proves it _thought Dudley to himself.

**sti****ll scuttling on its covers. Harry scrambled around, threw himself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.**

"Shoot!" exclaimed a student, who was clearly in the moment.

**Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as Harry clamped the struggling book tightly in his ****arms, hurried to his chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which he buckled tightly around it.**

"One of the only things that could probably calm that thing down," said Dean with a frown. "And why didn't I think of that?"

**The Monster Book shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Harry threw it down on the bed**

"Imaging you fell asleep on that," joked George and Harry (and other students) shuddered at the thought.

**and reached for Hagrid's card.**

**Dear Harry,**

**Happy ****Birthday!**

**Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. Hope the Muggles are treating you right.**

**All the best,**

**Hagrid**

**It struck Harry as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful,**

Hagrid and Harry blushed.

**but he put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. **

And they were grinning at him.

**Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left.**

**Noticing that it was rather ****thicker than usual, Harry slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read:**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave ftom King's Cross statio****n, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.**

**Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. **

All of the third years and older years smiled at the mention of amazing Hogsmeade. The first years and second years who had heard of it, scowled. It was no fair that they never got to visit it yet.

**Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.**

**A list of books for next year is enclo****sed. Yours sincerely,**

**Professor M. McGonagall**

"No happy birthday note, professor?" asked George, grinning.

"Those letters are very formal Mr Weasley and no private notes are permitted within them," stated McGonagall, though she did have the tiniest look of regret on her face.

"Still, nobody would have ever known."

"Actually the Ministry inspects all of them," said Percy matter-of-factly, really annoying George and the others. "But it's not like you would understand."

George growled, and Fred replied for him, "It's not like he was asking you in the first place."

To avoid a possible fight, Dumbledore quickly announced, "I shall continue reading now." That made Percy, Fred and George go silent in seconds.

**Deputy Headmistress**

**Harry pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; he knew it was an entirely wizarding village,**** and he had never set foot there. But how on earth was he going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form?**

Harry frowned. He had never gotten those guys to sign his form, no matter how much he sucked-up to them and no matter how hard he tried.

"But he never needed too," said Sirius, smiling, which also made Harry smile.

**He looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.**

**Deciding that he'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when ****he woke up, Harry got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart he'd made for himself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. Then he took off his glasses and lay down, eyes open, facing his three birthday cards.**

**Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else - glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday****.**

"You shouldn't have to feel like that," said Sirius.

"And he won't. Never again," added Remus reassuringly.

"Minerva, may you read next?" asked Dumbledore, ever so politely.

"Of course," replied McGonagall, grabbing the book and sitting on the stool.

**Aunt Marge's Big Mistake **McGonagall read.

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**A/N: So what did ya think? **

**Oh yeah and a special present will be awarded to the first ten reviewers. :) So review quickly and I hope you enjoyed!**

**Oh yeah, and the next chapter will probably be posted in a week or a few days after a week, but it will be posted!**

**Byes!**

24


	3. Chapter 3: AUNT MARGE'S BIG MISTAKE

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! =)**

**Thank you for reviewing, and subscribing, and favouriting and reading! I love you all! :D**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter and this is NOT an act of plagiarism.**

**And another quick comment, don't you just hate the Dursleys and Harry's "Aunt Marge"? I will never hate them as much as I hate that toad though …**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

AUNT MARGE'S BIG MISTAKE

**Aunt Marge's Big Mistake **read McGonagall.

The Dursleys were even more scared then they were before. _Uh oh, if these freaks were mad at us for the littlest things before, they are surely going to be absolutely fusing with anger during this chapter _though a worried Uncle Vernon. _Luckily Marge isn't here … _

Harry sighed. There was no way this chapter was going to be better than the last one.

**Harry went down to breakfast the next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, **

Some of the full-blood wizards/witches were really confused. What in the world were TVs?

"What's a TV?" one of them asked.

"A TV is a muggle-machine that has a bunch of pictures to create shows and stuff like that," explained Hermione. "There are also things called channels, and different shows come on different channels. The shows are almost about anything."

"Even cake?" asked one of the first-years.

"Yes, even cake. There are actually a lot of channels about cake now that I think about it," answered Hermione.

The kids looked amazed. "Those sound awesome!" one of them exclaimed.

"I wish I had one," said another.

Arthur looked awestruck. He had never seen a TV in his life, and it was his life-long dream to see one. "Hey Harry," he said.

"Yes?"

"Could to show me one of those one day?" he asked.

Harry smiled, "Of course!" Arthur smiled back at him.

"Of course it's going to be brand new," muttered one of the students. The students then muttered, "foul gits," under his breath.

**a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, **

"So not only is he an annoying idiotic boy, be he's also a spoiled brat too?" asked Ginny.

"Hey don't talk to my son like that!" shouted Vernon.

"Make me. And maybe I would stop if your idiot of a son stood up for himself, because as I recall he has no problem bullying other kids," added Ginny in a stern voice.

Ron had to agree that his sister was really brave after those comments.

**who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.**

"L-A-Z-Y. That's what he is," said a first year, confidently.

"You mean more like F-A-T and a G-I-T," added Lee, grinning.

"And he's also that."

**Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes **

"Whoa Harry, I never knew your descriptions were that accurate," complimented Hermione.

"Uh … thanks … I think," replied Harry. _Is she actually complimenting me, or just insulting me?_

**fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually. **

A few students burst out laughing. Dudley turned bright red in embarrassment, and Vernon turned bright red in anger. He didn't say anything, though. ****

Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of mustache.

"How splendid," said Tonks, with heavy sarcasm of course.

**Far from wishing Harry a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys made any sign that they had noticed Harry enter the room, but Harry was far too used to this to care. **

"That's the spirit! Who needs their stupid happy birthday wishes when you've got us!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Gee, I don't know Sirius, idiots' maybe. But only the stupidest ones," replied Harry, grinning.

**He helped himself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict.**

"...the public is warned that Black

"I was wondering when the news were going to mention this deranged, supposedly murderer," said Remus thoughtfully, the others burst out laughing.

_Hmph, "supposedly murderer" _thought Umbridge. _Well, Black may have the filthy half-breed fooled, and the potter boy, and Auror Tonks and the other stupid people, but I'm certainly not going to fall for it._

_I can't believe that Black has got Dumbledore fooled, or maybe Dumbledore is on the dark side _(Heh Star Wars Pun) _just like I had expected all along _though Fudge, who was pretty much thinking along the same lines as Umbridge. _From now on though, I better pay a better attention to Dumbledore._

"OI! I am not deranged! But I am a not denying that I am "supposedly a murderer"," retorted Sirius. "And you have to admit, the story got way better when I finally came into," he added. "Right, Harry?"

"Sirius, I am sorry, but I cannot tell lies," joked Harry. The few people who understood that perfectly, burst out laughing, and the others chuckled slightly. Umbridge however, was sending Harry a death-stare confusing many people.

**is armed and extremely dangerous. **

"Hmph, "dangerous". Sirius has never been dangerous in his life, except maybe that one time he swallowed that snail (In his dog form of course, but most of the others don't know that) and we all started laughing at him," stated Remus, and the others burst out laughing. Sirius was sending Remus a death-stare though, that was worst that Umbridge's.

**A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."**

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!" 

"Please don't tell me my hair looks like that now," said Sirius absent-mindedly touching the top of his head-his hair.

"Sirius, it looks perfectly fine," said Tonks.

"For real?"

"For real."

**He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon.**

"Well imagine how he would be if he had to put up with James's hair," whispered Remus to Sirius. Sirius chuckled at the thought.

**Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well groomed indeed. **

**The reporter had reappeared.**

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today -"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! 

"You wouldn't believe them if they told you the truth," said Fudge, for the first time speaking.

Everyone else gasped in shock. Fudge had actually decided to say something. Half of those people had forgotten he was even there.

The Dursleys, however, looked more confused than ever.

**What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!" **

"Yeah because out of everything he could be doing, he would be walking on the streets," sighed Ron, and a few people chuckled.****

Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, 

Aunt Petunia looked very offended, and she turned a bright red colour. But before Vernon could say something, McGonagall quickly started reading again.

**whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Harry knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors. **

"What an interesting life," said Fred.

"Yeah even more interesting than Harry's," added George.

"Hey, and what is that supposed to mean?" asked Harry.

"You should know," answered George with a wink.****

"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?" 

Many people gasped at that statement. Hanging was a really brutal punishment, and did anyone ever really deserve it?"

The people who really disliked Sirius though, and who still had doubts about him (A.K.A Umbridge and Fudge) agreed with the Dursleys, and had a new-found respect towards them-a very few people though.****

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.

"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh-she's not coming here, is she?" 

"Potter, it sounds like you really like her, eh?" asked Malfoy with a sneer, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy were sneering as well.

"Oh yeah Malfoy, a lot. I just love her," replied Harry with heavy sarcasm. ****

Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister),

"Lily," said Snape very quietly to himself.

**he had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all his life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs.**

"Whoa, that something I didn't expect," said Lee.

"No Lee, that is because your thinking she's the woman's sister, she's actually the old man's sister," explained Katie, getting dirty looks from the Dursleys.

"Oh yeah Katie, thanks I forgot! Oh yeah, and that explains everything," Lee replied. The Dursleys were also sending him dirty looks for insulting Vernon.

**She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, **

"Thankfully," added Harry.

**because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind.**

At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Margo had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him from beating Dudley at musical statues.

Everyone had looks of disgust and hatred on their faces.

"WHAT KIND OF SICK WOMAN DOES THAT?" shouted Molly, who was absolutely outraged. Arthur started to calm her down.

After Molly had calmed down completely (And everyone else had too) McGonagall started to read again, but not after sending the Dursleys a couple of dirty looks.

**A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry.**

"Sick-minded, idiot," muttered Moody to himself, so no one else could hear, but Tonks, who was sitting right beside him could hear and she sent a thumbs-up.

"I now completely agree with you Tonks, they are a bunch of selfish, no-heart idiots," said Kingsley.

**On her last visit, the year before Harry started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. **

Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle all started to burst out laughing. Harry was surprised that Malfoy wasn't though, and he wasn't even smiling. He just had his usual sneer on.

_What in the world … _though Harry, but he was interrupted by Remus.

"That horrible, horrible woman," said Remus in voice Harry had never ever heard him use before, since he was usually calmer. Harry was actually scared that him and Sirius where going to break out into a fight with the Dursleys though, so he sent McGonagall a signal to continue. Luckily McGonagall understood, and quickly started reading again.

**The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.  
**

More death-stares.

**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."**

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment. 

"Harry, I'm sorry to say, but I actually think you've got a very mental cousin," said Neville.

"Neville, don't apologise, it's only the truth," replied Harry.

"The shroom-sprouts must have got into his head," said Luna matter-of-factly. "Does he go outside a lot?"

"No he mostly stays on his giant butt all day watching TV," answered Harry.

Upon hearing that, a thoughtful expression came up on her face. "Oh." Was all she said. ****

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me." 

"Well after hearing about her, I doubt that would be true," said Bill.****

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality,

"Abnormality, humph," said many of the students.

**I don't want any - any funny stuff**

"What? You mean jokes and stuff like that?" joked a student sitting at the Hufflepuff table. A few people started to laugh at the joke.

**while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"**

"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, 

"Eww …it disturbs me just thinking about it," said Ginny.

**"we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."**

Upon that almost half of the school burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Harry, puzzled.

"Sorry Harry, but you're really not the type that would be considered, "criminal," said Hermione through laughter.

"Potter at a criminal school? Wow. He's too much of a goody-two-shoe for that," stated Malfoy causing a lot of the Slytherin table to laugh.

"Goody-two-shoe," muttered Snape.

"Goody-two-shoes? Yeah right! Have you seen him during Potions class?" asked Ron to Malfoy, causing other people to laugh.

Harry was soon blushing like crazy.

Malfoy and Ron kept arguing about if Harry was a goody-two-shoe or not; Snape kept muttering comment under his breath; the Dursleys kept muttering comments to each other; Umbridge, Percy and Fudge had looks of great-disbelief on their faces; and other just kept laughing.

Dumbledore soon caught the look of embarrassment on his face, so he announced, "Everybody settle down, we will now continue reading."

Harry sent Dumbledore a look of relief and gratitude, and McGonagall started to read again, with a big smile on her face. **  
**

**"What?" Harry yelled. **

_Nice to know that my past-self thinks the same thing I think now _thought Harry.****

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.

Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a weeklong visit - it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. 

"Whoa talk about bad gifts," said Ron.

"Tell me about it," muttered Harry.****

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?" 

"Dudders? Are you serious? DUDDERS?" asked Fred. The rest of the great hall started to laugh, causing Dudley to blush-A LOT.

"No I'm Sirius," said Sirius with a grin while Tonks and Remus facepalmed themselves.

"What kind of nickname is Dudders?" added George. "Though it's not the nickname that's hilarious-"

"-What's hilarious," added Fred. "Is that you act so tough on the outside and you're a big bully-"

"-But on the inside-"

"-You're a little baby, and always will be-"

"-Until you grow up and stop bullying people," finished Harry.

That hit Dudley hard and forced him to start thinking._ Are-Are, Are they actually RIGHT? _Thought Dudley to himself. _No, no, it can't be, or can it?_

****

"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie." 

"Bow-ties are actually pretty cool," said one of the sixth-year students

"Unless they're on him," added another student. They both started to laugh as did others.

_Is this how it feels to be bullied? _Thought Dudley.****

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder. 

"I just noticed that you mention pigs, A LOT, when you're talking about them," stated Hermione.

"Well Hermione, it is the best description for them, you have to admit," replied Harry.

"That is true, and totally." ****

"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.

Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door. 

"Ooo, Harry's got an idea …" joked Ron. ****

Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.

"I'm not taking you," he snarled as he turned to see Harry watching him. 

"Like I would want to come," said Harry in retort.****

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly.

A lot of people started laughing.

"Whoa Harry, it's been two years and you still think the same!" exclaimed Fred through laughter.

"Hopefully you mean that as a good thing …" said Harry.

**"I want to ask you something."**

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog - at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry. 

"HOGSMEDE!" several of the students exclaimed.****

"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.

"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon. 

"Cause it's his birthday and you could do at least one nice thing for him," said Ginny and Harry smiled at her.****

"Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits..."

"St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice. 

"Good job Harry, you've got him trapped!" exclaimed Remus with a proud look on his face.****

"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?" 

"Wow, I never knew you were that cunning," said Hermione.

"Well I guess that is why I was almost in Slytherin," said Harry sending gasps through the hall.

"You were almost in Slytherin?" asked Sirius, curiously.

"Errr, yeah," Harry said hesitantly. _I wonder where this is going … _

"Oh well, I guess Griffindor got you first, eh?" said Sirius with a smile.

"And I'm glad it did, because Griffindor is way cooler than Slytherin." The Griffindors and McGonagall all beamed, while Slytherin and Severus sent Harry dirty looks. He could care less, though. ****

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. 

"Anger management problems much?" joked Sirius.

**But Harry stood his ground. **

"That's our Harry!" exclaimed Hagrid.

**"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.**

Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce. 

"I am defiantly going to have nightmares," said Dean.

"Yeah, it'll be hard forgetting that face, eh?"added Seamus.****

"But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and Ill act like a Mug - like I'm normal and everything."

Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form." 

"Nice job, Harry!" praised Tonks.

"Yeah, the only way you'll ever get something out of him is if you threaten him," added Neville. "Which you were smart and brave enough to do."

"Thanks guys," said Harry, sheepishly.****

He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out.

"Yup, he definitely has anger issues," declared a student. ****

Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now. Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with his homework. Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; 

"Thankfully," said Bill.

**he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings.**

"Awwwwwwwwww."

**Harry sighed, then poked them both awake.**

"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" - Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful 

"Awwwwwwwwww."

**- "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione." **

"Yeah Hedwig, take one for the team!"****

Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe. 

_Yeah, maybe because they're the only living things in the house that don't ignore and try to run away when they see me_ added Harry, in consciously. ****

But Harry didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest. 

"And the nightmare begins," Harry muttered.****

"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the hall.  


"Yeah, good luck with that," added Molly. "Honestly Harry, I don't think your hair has ever lied flat."

A few of the students snickered, and Harry replied "Me neither."

**Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be. **

"See, look how much Harry cares," said Fred to the Dursleys.

"Yeah, he went through all that trouble just to make Marge-or whatever her name is-happy," added George. The others started laughing.****

All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.

A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a mustache, 

A bunch of the students burst out laughing and Vernon's face was going very purple as well …

**though not as bushy as his. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog. **

"I'm surprised she only brought one," muttered Sirius. "It would have made way more sense if she had brought ALL OF HER "precious" dogs."

"No Sirius, NO it wouldn't have. That would be the worst thing that she could possibly do," replied Harry, shivering from the thought.****

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?"

More laughter.

"These nicknames just keep getting better and better," said Ginny through her tears of laughter.****

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek. 

Dudley was blushing like mad. Why did he have such an embarrassing family and aunt? All of these kids would probably be making fun of him for ages!****

Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist. 

Almost everyone sent Dudley and his parents' weird looks.

"If I even mentioned something like that as a joke," said Ron. "Mum would surely cut off my head."

"Yes I would Ron, but thankfully none of my kids are spoiled brats," replied Molly. Some people gasped at the outburst, the Weasley kids beamed, and Percy looked confused. The Dursleys were offended, but they were blushing instead of showing it.

**"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat-stand.**

"Which is fine by me, as long as I don't have to talk to her," added Harry.

**Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunias bony cheekbone. **

A few people laughed.****

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?" 

"It's funny how they treat that dog better than me," said Harry.

"It's okay Harry, I'll go see that dog for you," replied Sirius with a wink, that left a lot of other people confused.****

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer,"

"I feel bad that the dog has to share with the creepy lady," said a first year, very seriously (no pun intended this time) causing many people to chuckle.

**said Aunt Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as he could.**

By the time he got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals. 

"Well that explains a lot."****

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down.

"Well you know what they say. 'Like owner like pet'," quoted Remus.

"More like 'both of the monsters are the same', said Tonks with a grin.

**This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.**

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Yes," said Harry. 

"Sadly," added Harry after.****

"Don't you say "yes" in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled.

"What else was he supposed to say? Of course Aunt Margie dear?" asked Ron.

Harry shuddered. "Ron, not in a million years would I ever say that. Thank you very much for the bad image."

"No problem, mate," Ron replied with a smile.

**"It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. **

"Yeah, but you don't have a stable brain do you?" asked Hermione.

"Hermione, you know you're talking to a book right now?" asked Ginny to Hermione.

"And that kids, is why you don't read too much," added Ron, causing Hermione to send him a dirty look.

**You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep." **

"If that was me, I would have so rather had gone to the orphanage," said one of the students matter-of-factly.****

Harry was bursting to say that he'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursleys,

The kid burst out laughing, and Harry returned a smile to her.

**but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped him. He forced his face into a painful smile. **

"Wow, great job Harry! I would have never have been able to play along that long," praised Ron.

"Well Ron, that is simply because you have the emotional rage of a tea spoon," replied Hermione, and a bunch of people burst out laughing at that statement.

**"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." **

"I believe that is false," stated Dumbledore, causing Harry to blush.

**She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mustache, and said, "Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"**

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases." 

"In that case, Remus should have gone there!" stated Sirius.

"Hey Sirius, that isn't even funny," retorted Remus.

"Yeah you're right, it's HILARIOUS. And then why are so many people laughing?" The last statement was true, many people were laughing and Umbridge was even smiling, but for her own sick purposes.

"Oh just shut up."

"No, you shut up!"

"Oh wow, you boys haven't grown up a bit," said McGonagall, causing more laughter, before she started to read again.

**"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.**

"Er -"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "All the time." 

"Harry, you're a terrible liar."

"Thanks a lot Luna, thanks."****

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. 

"Harry doesn't deserve a cane!" said a first year; he then blushed after when everyone was smiling at him.

**A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?"**

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times." 

"Like anybody would ever use the cane of Potter."

"Professor McGonagall, can you please continue?" asked Harry, trying to avoid any more comments from Draco. ****

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough.

"Errr, if you say so …"

**Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case." **

"She is mentally challenged."****

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?" 

"And it's back to me!" said Sirius with a cocky expression. **  
**

**)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(**

**As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her.**

"Which is a hundred-no scratch that-a MILLION times better," said Harry just to confirm it.

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their way, which Harry was only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for his improvement.**

_Like Harry would ever need improvement _thought Ginny to herself.

**She delighted in comparing Harry with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person.**

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon,"

"Yeah because while you are a stupid, old slob, Harry is actually a kind boy unlike your son," said Molly.

**she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."  
**

People really started to get annoyed with the behaviour of Aunt Marge, and the Great Hall's atmosphere immediately got tenser.

**Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger. Remember the form, he told himself. Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise -**

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup -" 

The set people off.

"DID SHE JUST SAY WHAT I THINK SHE SAID?" screamed Sirius.

"Sirius … it's just a book …"

"NO HARRY," this time it was Remus. "SHE CAN'T GET AWAY WITH SAYING STUFF LIKE THAT AND _THEY _CAN'T EITHER!" He shouted, indicating towards the Dursleys.

"THERE IS ABSOULETLY NOTHING WROND WITH LILY AND THE BOY!" shouted Snape. Only a few people realized he had said that comment as the others were way too angry to notice.

"I AGREE WITH SNAPE! THE REAL PROBLEM IS WITH YOU PEOPLE AND- WAIT _DID I JUST AGREE WITH SNAPE_? Asked Sirius. "No wait-no-WHAT?"

The people realized what Snape had just said earlier and that Sirius had agreed with him. That was shocking news to everyone because didn't Snape hate Harry and his family? (Not the Dursley part) and didn't Snape and Sirius hate each other?

The room went silent. Everyone was either staring at Snape, Sirius, Harry or the Dursleys.

_Did Snape just-just say that there is nothing wrong with me and my mum? What the heck is that supposed to mean? _Thought Harry.

_Snape's gone bananas _thought Ron. _He actually said something nice about Harry!_

_Well, that was very uncharacteristic of Snape _thought Hermione.

_What the heck? I never thought I would see the day when Snape actually said something nice about Harry and Lily OUT LOUD? And to make matters worse, I AGREED WITH HIM! _Thought Sirius.

_What the heck just happened? Did Snape and Sirius really just say what I thought they said? _Thought Remus. _The world is probably going to end today or something._

Snape on the other hand, was thinking. _How much of an idiot was I to say that out loud? Potter is definitely going to suspect some things and he's defiantly interested and curious now …_

The room was still silent.

_Well, I sure am glad that Marge isn't here right now. She would never be able to handle all of these freaks._ Thought Vernon.

The silence was then broken by Harry.

"Um, thanks … Professor Snape …" said Harry very awkwardly. "Errr, I never expected that from you …"

"You better not expect anything like that again Potter, I was simply trying to prove a point," said Severus, quickly and coldly, which actually relived Harry a bit.

"Alright …"

McGonagall quickly began to read again before anyone else could say

**At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping. **

Harry and the others grinned. She finally got what she deserved then.

"Harry, was that you?" asked Molly.

"Well um, oh whatever yeah, it was me. But it was an accident though!" said Harry, though the Ministry employees were giving him questioning looks. The Dursleys however, where throwing him dirty looks, but he could care less.

"Though, don't forget. You casted wandless magic which is a very hard thing to achieve," added Dumbledore. Harry blushed and some looked surprised. **  
**

"Thanks Professor Dumbledore!"

**"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"**

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. 

"I don't know why that doesn't surprise me?" said Ron and a few people chuckled.

**No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip..." **

"Very firm in this case."

"Nice one, Hermione!"****

But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously,

Which they were also doing now.

**so he decided he'd better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as he could.**

Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he'd lost control and made something explode.

"So you've done it before?" asked Cho Chang with a smirk on her face.

Harry blushed. "Well, I was only in first year, and it was Dobby's fault my second year."

"Who's Dobby?"

"Oh you'll see soon enough."

**He couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake - if he carried on like that, he'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.**

Harry was still an underage wizard, and he was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. His record wasn't exactly clean either. 

"Oh so somebody also has a criminal record on top of everything," said Fred, grinning.

**Only last summer he'd gotten an official warning that had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Harry would face expulsion from Hogwarts. **

"Oh snap."**  
**

**He heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way.**

**)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(**

Harry got through the next three days by forcing himself to think about his Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare 

"Glad to know you appreciate my gift, Harry."

"Of course Hermione! I don't know how I would survived in the house at that time without it!"

**whenever Aunt Marge started on him. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal. **

"Well, what can you expect from her?" added Harry at the end.

****

At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine.

"Oh must be a really special event," said Ron with sarcasm.

"Yes it was! Since she was finally leaving!" exclaimed Harry.

**They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults;**

"I am really impressed at that fact," said Molly still with a disgusted look on her face.

**during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.**

"Can I tempt you, Marge?" 

The Weasley twins burst out laughing at that statement, but McGonagall just chose to ignore it.

**Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red. **

"Well, I guess it's still better than her face being purple. Less disturbing, right Harry?" asked George.

"She's disturbing no matter what," answered Harry.

**"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that...and a bit more...that's the ticket."**

Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie.

"What a pig."

**Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Harry really wanted to disappear into his bedroom, but he met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew he would have to sit it out.**

"You're almost there harry, you can make it!"

**"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." **

"Yes, you must be tired, you fat slob."

**She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. **

"More like oversized," whispered Ron to Harry.

**Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon..." **

**"Now, this one here -"**

**She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. The Handbook, he thought quickly. **

**"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. **

"Weak? Are you kidding me? WEAK? Harry's been through way more than you've probably even heard of," stated Sirius, and that was way too true.

**Underbred." **

The Great Hall once again became very tense. Harry quickly signaled for McGonagall to quickly start reading before people would start shouting again.

**Harry was trying to remember page twelve of his book: A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers.**

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. 

"BAD BLOOD? YEAH RIGHT! The potters are some of the greatest people I've known," corrected Remus, and the others had to agree with him.

**Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" - she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. **

"LILY. WAS. NOT. BAD," Sirius said. "It's sort of funny though." People now were giving him strange looks. "It's funny how you don't even defend your own sister," he said, pointing towards a very scared Petunia. "Minerva, please continue now."

Petunia then started to think about what Sirius had said.

**They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel**

Snape sort of agreed with the comment a bit, but that was only because of his own _personal _hatred for James.

McGonagall started to quickly read again before anyone could say anything.

**and here's the result right in front of us." **

**Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears. Grasp your broom firmly by the tail, he thought. But he couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills. **

"Uh oh. I believe that's not a good thing …"

**"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"**

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.**

"He - didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed." 

Everyone was throwing Vernon dirty looks.

"James, for your information, worked as the head of an Auror department," stated Sirius, showing no emotion on his face.

"And an Auror, for your information, is sort of like the police of the wizarding world, except they are put up with way harder things to deal with than the muggles," stated Tonks, also showing no emotion.

The Dursleys stayed very still and silent, not looking up at anyone.

**"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who -"**

"He was not," said Harry suddenly.

"I just really couldn't take her ignorance any longer," added Harry.

**The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life.**

**"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on -"**

**"No, Vernon," hiccuped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) -" **

"WHAT THE HECK? YOU FREAKING TOLD HER THAT JAMES AND LILY DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHILE THEY WERE _DRUNK_? Screamed Remus, who couldn't stay calm anymore after that comment.

"THEY DIED BECAUSE OF A MURDER! A MURDER!" Shouted Sirius, and the Great Hall went silent.

Snape was clenching his hands into a fist, and it was taking every ounce of energy not to say something, like he had before at the Dursleys

"Hey Sirius, don't blame them, their stupid idiotic minds don't understand a thing, they are just a bunch of-" all of a sudden Remus went silent and when Sirius tried to also speak, no words came out of his mouth either.

"Enough," announced Dumbledore firmly, who was grasping his wand. "Sorry Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin, but I must silence you. You two are not wrong though, but we must continue with the chapter. And I fear that things might get a little too out of hand," explained Dumbledore.

Remus and Sirius looked defeated, but besides that, they didn't show any signs of anger at Dumbledore. Instead they were sending murderous looks over to the Dursleys.

**"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.**

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little -" 

"No he is not," said Ron.

"Yeah, if you're going to call anyone ignorant call _them _ignorant," added Hermione pointing towards the Dursleys.

"Thanks Ron and Hermione, and everyone else," thanked Harry, and he was looking at the silenced Sirius and Remus, who were now smiling at him, when he said that.

**But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. **

"I don't think it's quite that," said Molly with a sigh.

**She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger - but the swelling didn't stop. Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech - next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls - she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami... **

"Oh my gosh! Don't just tell me you blew up your aunt!" exclaimed Fred with a grin.

"Well not quite, it was an accident!" protested Harry.

"Yeah, yeah but still! The thing is that you blew up your aunt," said George, who was also grinning.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to say this, but that woman actually deserved that," said Molly, but then she added, "And you two better not be coming up with a prank idea," she said to Fred and George.

Sirius, Tonks, Remus, Hagrid, Charlie, Arthur, Bill, Kingsley and even Mad-Eye Moody, were all sending Harry proud and impressed looks.

"Thatta' boy," praised Hagrid, who was now beaming.

The Ministry employees (Percy included) were all sending Harry disgusted looks, but come on, they were the Ministry what could you expect?

The students (And even the teachers) were sending Harry amazed looks, and the Slytherins even looked defeated. The Dursleys were the only angry ones.

"Oh Potter," said McGonagall with a smile, before continuing to read.****

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now,

"Oh, she wasn't already, and I'm being serious," said Lee.

Everyone turned towards Sirius, who they all knew would pun that sentence, but when he made to say something, no words came out since he silenced.

"It's a miracle!" Tonks exclaimed. "Sirius couldn't say that blasted pun! Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore!

Dumbledore smiled. "I'm afraid I forgot about these two," he said, and Remus and Sirius sent him fake-offended looks. "I guess I'll take the spell of them now." With a quick wave of his wand, he undid the spell, and two looked greatly relieved.

"Thank you very much!" exclaimed Remus. "For saving us from that stupid pun and freeing us!"

"It has been my pleasure."

"Oh, I will get all of you back!" exclaimed Sirius. "Just wait."

**like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. **

A few people burst out laughing.

**Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.**

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg. 

"It's funny how they're really fat, but they still can't pull her down," whispered Neville to Harry, making him chuckle.****

Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it. In seconds, he had heaved his trunk to the front door.

"Wait Harry, you're not running away are you?" asked Molly, causing Harry to blush. "Oh why would I ask you that? You probably were."

"Well I was angry and in my third year, so it wasn't entirely my fault," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oh just don't do it again. Promise?"

"Okay, I promise."

**He sprinted upstairs and threw himself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of his books and birthday presents. He wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to his trunk,**

"In record breaking time!"

**just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.**

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

"She deserved it,"

"That she did."

**Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me."**

He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door.

"I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough."

And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm.

"The chapter has finished," announced McGonagall. "Who wants to read next?"

"I will!" said Hermione raising her hand, and McGonagall passed her the book.

**The Knight Bus **read Hermione.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I'll have the next one out soon.**

**Thank you for reading, and please review!**

**(Hey did that part just rhyme?)**


	4. Chapter 4: THE KNIGHT BUS

**A/N: When I first started this story, I wouldn't get that many hits and I thought it sucked but then later on, more reviews, follows, and favourites started rolling and I got more pumped to write this. Thank you so much everybody!**

**Oh yeah, and to answer a question. This story does take place in the beginning, but right after Harry's first session with Umbridge oh yeah and harry and guys have talked to Sirius once already. So this takes place before Dumbledore's Army and Christmas and the other things. **

**So hopefully that clears everything up. :)**

**Oh yeah, and sorry if some of the people's comments in the last chapter, were bolded. (It was like that on my IPod). I know that makes it very hard to understand, and I am very sorry, my computer is just very glitchy. (Don't worry it didn't happen with this one)**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter, nor have I ever, nor will I ever. And this is not an act of plagiarism.**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

THE KIGHT BUS

"It seems like it's getting very late," announced Dumbledore to everyone. "I have decided that after this chapter everyone will go to their rooms."

"AWWWWWW!" exclaimed the students. They were really getting into these books and they also got to skip classes.

"Do not worry though. After everyone wakes up in the morning, and eats breakfast, we will continue again."

"YES!" exclaimed the students this time.

"Okay, Ms Granger, would you kindly please start reading now?" asked Dumbledore, politely.

"Of course!" exclaimed Hermione. **The Knight Bus **she read.

"Ooo! I've heard of that before, I've always wanted to try it out and go on it!" exclaimed Ron.

"Trust me Ron, no you don't. Unless you want to have a heart attack I wouldn't suggest it," corrected Harry.

"Whatever you say… but I still sort of want to go on it." A few people chuckled at the comment, making Ron a little bit confused.

"I'll start reading now," said Hermione.

**Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk.**

"Whoa Harry, what do you keep in there, a bunch of bricks?" asked Fred.

"Well sort of. The textbooks I get are pretty equivalent to real bricks," answered Harry, making the other teachers sigh.

**He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart.**

But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him:

**panic. **

"I wonder why, because being alone in dark streets at midnight is pretty fun," said George with sarcasm.

"Oh George, shut up."

**Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix.**

"Eh heh heh."

**He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic, which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. **

"Well, you actually hadn't done it. It was an accident, remember?" asked Sirius.

Harry replied. "Haha, I guess I forgot."

"Hmph, accident," whispered Vernon to Petunia and Dudley.

**He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat. **

"Well that would be very unreasonable, wouldn't it?" asked Umbridge in a matter-of-fact voice.

Hermione quickly continued to read, upon seeing Harry's expression.****

Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent.

What, was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested,

"I think you're going a tad bit overboard, don't you think?" asked Remus with a smile.

"Hey, I was panicking, okay?" replied Harry back, grinning.

**or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world?**

Remus sent Harry a look that made him roll his eyes.

**He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now, **

"Are you mental, mate? Even if you had made her explode, and even if you had been arrested, we would still have been by your side," said Ron.

"Yeah, Harry. Sometimes you do make me think your mental," added Hermione.

Harry smiled. "Thanks guys and I would do the same for you."

"We know that!"

**but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them.**

He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless... 

"It looks like Harry's got an idea!"

"Thanks for that, Lee, thanks."****

He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. If he was already expelled (his heart was. now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father

Some of the students that didn't know that stared at Harry with awe. He had a cloak that could turn him invisible!

"You have a cloak that makes you invisible?" one of those students asked.

"Yup," Harry answered back.

The kid looked surprised. "That's awesome!"

"Haha, I know."

**- what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the cloak, and flew to London?**

"I'm going to say it this time. That is a mental idea," stated Tonks.

Harry chuckled. "I know, but as I said before, I was panicking!"

**Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and...begin his life as an outcast. It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall forever, or he'd find himself trying to explain to Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunk full of spell books and a broomstick. **

"Oh I was just you know, cleaning up the streets at midnight, and putting all of the garbage in this trunk," joked Ginny, causing many people to laugh. Harry was one of them. ****

Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak - but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more.

A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses. 

Sirius blushed; he had been the one who was watching Harry that night. He had meant to just watch Harry to see if everything was alright, but he never knew Harry had noticed him there. ****

He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. 

"That is very, very creepy."

**Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat **

_Stray dog in this matter _thought Sirius.

"Is Potter scared of a little cat, oh my," mocked Malfoy.

"Shut up Malfoy. I don't see you on the streets at midnight, do I?'" retorted Harry.

"That is simply because I have better stuff to do."

"Okay if you insist," Harry said while rolling his eyes. "Though I still doubt it."

**or - something else.**

"Lumos," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. 

"A MONSTER!"

"Joey, shut up!"

Many people burst out laughing.****

Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped.

**His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter. **

"Ouch, you okay?" asked Tonks.

Harry grinned back. "Haha yup. And no need to worry. It wasn't as twice as bad as when you trip."

Some people snickered, and Tonks blushed. "Harry, you didn't need to mention that!"****

There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light...

With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying.

"See Ron, that thing nearly ran me over! You sure you still want to go on it?" asked Harry.

"Oh come on Harry, obviously!" replied Ron back and the others sighed.

**They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air.**

"Well you don't see that every day, do you?"

**Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.**

"I think I've been on that once!" a first year exclaimed. "It wasn't fun at all."****

For a split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.  


"Stan Shunpike, as I believe," stated Dumbledore.

**"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard.**

"Well that's convenient."

**Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike,**

Dumbledore smiled.

**and I will be your conductor this eve-"**

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples. 

"Ha! The descriptions strike again!" exclaimed Fred.

"My my, Harry. You do just notice the tiniest things!" exclaimed George.****

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner. 

"Oh you know, just admiring the grass and cement," added Harry with sarcasm.****

"Fell over," said Harry. 

"As if that isn't the reasonable thing."****

"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. 

A few people started laughing.

**One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding.**

"Harry! Are you sure you were okay?" asked Molly, concerned. Her mothering-instincts were kicking in.

"Yes Mr Weasley, I was fine and that happened two years ago so there;s no need to worry about that," replied Harry.

"Okay …" Molly said back, uncertainly.

**He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.**

"Imagining things, are you now?" Ron asked.

"Yes Ron, I am going absolutely mental," retorted Harry.

"It figures."

"OI! Are you sure you're not going mental?"

"Positive."

"Okay … well then …," said Harry.

Hermione decided to continue to read before it got even more awkward.

**"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.**

"There was a big black thing,"

_Thanks Harry, thanks a lot _though Sirius, jokingly, in his head.

**said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog...but massive..."**

He looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead. 

Harry absent-mindedly moved his hair over his scar. He hated when people started at it, and they did it a lot, which was quite annoying.****

"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them. 

"Because I'm sure Stan would report you."

"Oi! Hermione … just keep reading …"****

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. 

Neville gave him a surprise look, as did many others.

"Yes Neville, I do think about you. You are my friend you know," replied Harry smiled.

A smiled formed on Neville's face. He didn't say anything but Harry knew he was still surprised but he was happy.

But then Neville asked to Harry, "You're not just trying to frame me, are you?"

Harry grinned. "Of course not! Why would I do that? And no sarcasm was intended I those sentences.

Hermione then continued to read.

**"So - so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"**

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. "Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, 

"Oh my gosh Harry! Do it! It's totally worth it!" exclaimed Remus.

"Well Remus … not everyone is addicted to chocolate like you, you know," teased Tonks.

"Yup, and I still don't get how you _don't _think _you're_ addicted," added Sirius. "Because the last time I checked, three chocolate bars a day, truly does mean you are addicted." Many people burst out laughing, but of course the Ministry employees and Umbridge gave Remus disgusted looks.

Remus blushed. "Just drop it ..."

**and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."  
**

""Not as good as the chocolate though," added Ginny, making Remus smile.

**Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.**

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, 

"Which is really dangerous, now that I think about it," said Harry. "Honestly, what are those guys thinking?"

**illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep. **

"Errr … who in the world eats pickled slugs?" asked a student, very confused. Many other people were thinking the same thing.

"I know who," said Remus, and everyone started at him. "Sirius ate a normal slug once."

People burst out laughing and others were sending Sirius strange looks. Sirius blushed. "Hey! It was an accident! I wasn't paying attention and one happened to crawl into my mouth," he stated making more people burst out laughing. He then whispered to everyone who knew, "When I was in my animangus form of course."****

"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed.

"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. 

"Whoa."

**Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment. **

"I wish I was there," muttered Ron. "You know? To see Harry's expression." Many people started to laugh, and Harry punched him on the arm in reply.****

"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"

"Ar," said Ernie. 

"That completely covers the question," said Fred and George snickered like others.**  
**

**"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry. **

The Dursleys piped up on hearing that, and some people were staring at them.****

"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'." 

The Dursleys looked slightly offended, but they decided not to say anything, just like every other time. ****

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel.

"Oh, it may not look like it, but he does have experience," stated Dumbledore.

**The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.**

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. 

"I'm surprised that didn't happen to me," said Harry. "Actually, I'm glad thatdidn't happen to me!"

**Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; **

"Beautiful service, hey?"

"Come on Ginny, they're on a tight schedule," explained Fred. "Even though they can travel at light speed."

"And that still confuses me," added George.

**there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.**

Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time.

"See Ron, its sound very fun, doesn't it. And my sarcasm was intended."

"I'm still not convinced!" exclaimed Ron, stubbornly. The others sighed, and Hermione rolled her eyes before continuing.

**His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet.**

"So considerate, aren't you, Harry?" asked Tonks, mainly targeting that towards the Dursleys.

_Considerate? Yeah right! That girl is an idiot just like the rest _thought Vernon. _And what's with her hair?_****

Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page.

"And there I am again! See how many times I've made the front cover," bragged Sirius.

"Yeah Sirius, for being a supposedly murderer and breaking out of Azkaban," said Remus as he rolled his eyes.

"I guess you're right there, sadly."

**He looked strangely familiar. **

"How could you not tell who I was upon, first glance? I am so offended Harry!" exclaimed Sirius with sarcasm.

"Well Sirius … It's pretty easy to forget you," joked Harry with just as much sarcasm, "And I'm joking of course."

"You better be!"

"Hermione, knowing Sirius, he could go on for days, please read on," sighed Remus making others snicker and Sirius send him a dirty look.

**"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!" **

"And the wizard news. Whoa Sirius, I never thought I could see you being that famous," stated Fred, with a grin.

"Never underestimate Sirius Black!"

"Oh we won't, isn't that right, Freddie?" asked George with an even bigger grin.

"You got that right, Georgie!" said Fred back. Sirius was left to ponder over what the twins were planning with him involved.****

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?" 

"Hey! I knew that, it was Harry who didn't know that!" retorted Neville back to the book.

Harry and the others also chuckled. "Neville I did know that!"

"Sorry … just getting a bit … defenceful …" replied Neville with a smile.****

He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville." 

"I would if I was allowed. And I've got the wizard paper, I don't need no muggle paper!" exclaimed Sirius.****

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

BLACK STILL AT LARGE

"Knew it! I won't ever die down!"

"Sirius, stop being a bragger."

"Fine Tonksie, whatever you wish and you're just jealous."

"Sure I am …"

**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.  
"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge,**

Fudge was sending a murderous look at Sirius, who was just grinning back.

**this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." **

"How could we if there was a murderer running loose?" asked a student.

"Oi! Supposedly murderer," corrected another student, and that made Sirius and the others smile. Some people were actually starting to listen and starting to believe him!

**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. **

"Yeah thanks a lot," said Sirius while rolling his eyes, annoyed.

"Mr Black, you have no rights to speak right now," replied Fudge. He was getting quite mad barely anybody believed him, and they were getting brainwashed by the "supposedly innocent" murderer.

"Yes and you certainly have no rights to talk to the Ministry Of Magic like that," added Umbridge in her fake-sweet voice.

That made Sirius even more annoyed. "Oh will you please be quiet you toad?" he actually said, making Umbridge's face start turning a dark red colour and making all of the students (and Harry and the gang) and the whole Order of The Phoenix and Remus grin broadly.

"_Excuse _me? What did you just call me?" asked Umbridge still with her fake-sweet voice. Her whole face was red now.

"A toad, which is a very accurate description," stated Remus this time, grinning.

"Listen half-breed you have no right to say that to me!" she said making others turn extremely angry at her, but Remus still looked and was calm. "AND YOU," she continued, pointing towards Sirius, "You Black. You have nothing to say since you're a murderer! You guys are both idiots and wanted by the Ministry." Now the others were fuming with anger and Umbridge was too.

Dumbledore could sense something bad would happen if he left them all continue so he quickly ordered, "STOP! Everybody. This is getting was too out of hand."

Sirius and Remus in fear of getting silenced once again, immediately shut up, but Umbridge still spoke. "Whatever you say Albus, but you also have no rights to order me around."

Dumbledore didn't look a bit annoyed at that comment tough (unlike others, as they were annoyed) he simply just signaled for Hermione to continue to read once again, instead, which she started too.

**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle.**

"Yeah right! Sirius wouldn't even hurt a butterfly!" exclaimed Remus causing people to burst out laughing.

"Well luckily you're not a butterfly, because I am certainly going to hurt you once this chapter is done!" retorted Sirius back, causing more people to laugh and causing Remus to sigh and pretend to be scared.

**I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" **

"Nobody, muggles just don't accept the real truth," stated a seventh year student.

The Dursleys were now giving him strange and offended looks.

**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), **

"That is horrible!" exclaimed Molly.

**the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. **

"That wasn't me. That was that idiot, Peter," muttered Sirius.

**Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one.  
**

"Harry I don't look like that anymore, right?" asked Sirius, worried.

Harry smiled, "No Sirius, you look absolutely charming."

"Thanks for the sarcasm, buddy."

"Oh wait, you thought I was being sarcastic? Ha! You do look charming, more than before, and to girls you know, not guys of course." explained Harry back.

"Aww, thank you Harry!" exclaimed Sirius, giving him a side hug.

**"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read. **

"Remus, don't even."

"Hey Sirius, I wasn't going to!"****

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?" 

"Well obviously," said Ron. ****

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said. 

"Ha! Not even in a million years! Not even if he threatened to murder me! Not even if he offered me a million galleons, not even if I was dead, not even if-"

Sirius was cut off by Tonks. "We get it Sirius! You would never go over to Voldemort. Ever," she said mainly looking over at the Ministry employees, Fudge and the toad.

"You got that right!"****

"What, Voldemort?"

Gasping and flinching.

**said Harry, without thinking.**

Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. 

"Harry, great job. You scared them way too much that they almost had a heart-attack!" exclaimed Lee, who wasn't scared of the name-anymore.

"Well it's just a name," stated Harry hoping some people would get over their fear of the unthreatening name.

**"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"**

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I - I forgot -"

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast..." 

_Because of just a name _thought Harry. _Honestly, people need to get over it! Hopefully by the time this book is done, more people will have changed in that category!_****

"So - so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically. 

"Which we know is untrue," added Hermione after.****

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say...anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" - Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again 

"He's talking to Harry, who he doesn't know is Harry, about Harry. Funny, huh?" said Ginny.

**- "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over. **

"I doubt Peter would ever be second-command. He always has been and always will be a coward," said Remus and Sirius nodded.

Some people were still confused and becoming confused though. Exactly who was this Peter?****

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 

"I still can't believe that Peter did a disgusting thing like that. I truly do think he has gone mental," sighed Sirius. _What idiot hands off their friends to be murdered and frames the two other friends. Idiot._

**'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.**

"What?" said Harry.

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. 

"Wow, they do make me sound mental," said Sirius. "Which I am not." He said, mainly looking at the Ministry people.

**An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"**

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you...after what he did..." 

"Serves Peter right," corrected Harry.****

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before,

"And there won't be again," said Fudge with so much hatred in his voice. He was looking at Sirius as to say _when you go Azkaban there's no way you'll get out, alive._

**'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"**

Sirius shuddered remembering about the Dementors. He hated those things.****

Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles." 

"Haha! Collywobbles!" exclaimed a student.****

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.

"'Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt!

"That went around fast, didn't it?" asked Katie.

"Yup. Way too fast. I guess people aren't always blowing up their aunts, eh?" replied Harry back causing Katie and others to burst out laughing.

**We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' to run for it..."**

He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban?

"Overreacting again, eh?" asked Remus smirking.

"Yes Remus, yes. You just know now don't you?" asked Harry back, grinning.

**Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison,**

"Horrible. Traumatizing. Cold. Dark. Depressing. Grey. All the happiness you've ever felt-gone. Empty," said Sirius, shuddering from remembering it.

A few people shuddered on the thought of how Azkaban was. After hearing those descriptions, they were even more terrified of it than before.

**though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going,**

Hagrid was also shuddering.

**and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew. **

"Aww, thanks Harry!"Hagrid exclaimed though, causing Harry to beam.****

The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate,

"Harry, at least you agree," said Remus trying to take some of the tension away from all the talk about Azkaban.

**but poured it all over Harry's pillow**

"Horrible!"

**when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. **

"See Ron that should be another hint!" exclaimed Harry.

"Okay you sort of got me convinced …" sighed Ron and then Harry sent him a look of _told-you-so! _Ron just sighed about that.

**Finally, Harry was the only passenger left. **

"Which wasn't thrilling at all."****

"Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"

"Diagon Alley," said Harry.

"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."

BANG.

They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. 

"After hearing about all of this I have decided that is VERY GOOD that the bus is magic, because if it wasn't, it would have destroyed all of London by now," said Ginny and Harry and a bunch of students agreed.

**The sky was getting a little lighter. He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off - where, he didn't know.**

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.

**He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement.**

"Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!" 

"Harry seems really glad that he's out of that thing," said Fred.

"A little _too _glad," added George.

"Trust me I was _way_ too glad for my own good to be out of that thing," confirmed Harry.****

But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus) he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

"There you are, Harry," said a voice. 

"OH MY GOD!" screamed a student. They were clearly into the book.****

Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"

Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach - he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. 

Mostly everyone's direction turned towards to Fudge. And he was getting really uncomfortable(which you could tell) with all of the staring, making Harry sneer at him. ****

Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.

"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.

"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter." 

"Great job blowing the cover," said a student, causing Fudge to get annoyed.****

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!" 

"Well Harry it looks like all your efforts were lost, hm?" asked Sirius.

"Sadly," added Harry after him.****

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..."

Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder, and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry. 

"You can imagine how nerve-wracking that was," Harry said.****

There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.

"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.

"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.

"'Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.

"'Bye, Neville!" called Stan.  


"Heh heh."

**Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.**

"Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry.

"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic." 

"And he really didn't know that," said Ron. People burst out laughing at that comment and Fudge's comment in the book.****

Harry already knew this, of course;

"Well … duh. That fact is pretty hard to avoid since he acts like that's a part of his name or something," said Tonks, causing more people to burst out laughing and causing the Ministry to glare at her.

**he had seen Fudge once before, but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that. **

"Well know I do," said Fudge.

_Stupid book! It's exposing all of my secrets again now, isn't it?_ Thought Harry****

Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.

"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think...but you're safe, and that's what matters." 

Everyone was staring at Fudge like he was actually crazy.

Bill was the first one to break the silence. "Err, that sounds very, un-Fudge-like," and all the others agreed. ****

Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.

"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then...You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured

"Awwwwwwwwwwwww,"

**and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."**

Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew.

"I think Fudge was mental when he talked at that time," said Ron.

**Harry, who couldn't believe his ears,**

"Like pretty much everyone here," muttered Remus.

**opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.**

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

Harry unstuck his throat.

"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

"Who would?"****

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, 

"Hmph, family. Yeah right!" exclaimed Harry.

**after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down." **

"How could you even say that with a straight face, Fudgie?" asked Tonks to fudge. Half of the people in the school burst out laughing because of the comment and Fudge's reaction.

Fudge was fusing with anger. _When we get back to the Ministry, I have to make sure I have a very long talk with Nymphadora over there._

"Nymphadora, that is not an appropriate way of stating that phrase," replied Fudge, and he half-smiled when he saw Tonks scowl at the mention of her name.****

It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now.

"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and..."

"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"

Fudge blinked. "Punishment?" 

"Okay. I am now having serious doubts about that being the real Fudge right now," said Sirius. "And I seriously mean it," he punned afterwards, causing people to sigh.****

"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" 

"L-l-l-li-little t-t-th-thing?"

**cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! **

"And accidents do happen," said Lee is a very high pitched voice. People chuckled at that.

**We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!" **

"Well that's a relief."****

But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.

"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!"

"Dobby," chuckled Harry.

**he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!" **

"And Harry you are reminding him about this, why?" asked Hermione.

"I actually have no clue," replied Harry back.****

Unless Harry's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.  


"Wish I could see that." Fudge turned bright red upon hearing that.

**"Circumstances change, Harry...We have to take into account...in the present climate...Surely you don't want to be expelled?"**

"Of course I don't," said Harry.

"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you." 

"And that is the Minister Of Magic that everyone wants," said a student and many people agreed with them.****

Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic? 

"That is very true."****

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.

"Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand...I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh.

People were sending him strange looks.

**"No, no...best we know where you are...I mean..."**

Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know..."

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.

"Harry that is sort of asking for trouble."****

"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed...and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."  


Sirius and Hagrid shuttered.

**Fudge shuddered slightly.**

"So, I'll say good-bye."

He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea.

"Er - Minister? Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.

"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could -?"

Fudge was looking uncomfortable.

"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian -"

"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission..."

"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly.

"Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't...yes...well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry."

And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..."

Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him.

Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe -

"Hedwig!" Harry gasped.

The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.

"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."

He gave another bow and left.

Harry sat on his bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold.

"And that paragraph just proves how descriptive you are Harry," said Hermione and Harry blushed.

**Harry could hardly believe that he'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that he wasn't expelled, and that he was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks. **

"HAPPY ENDING!"****

"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned.

And without even removing his glasses, he slumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep.

"That chapter is finished," declared Hermione. "Who wants to read next?"

"How about you, Severus?" suggested Dumbledore.

Severus sent Dumbledore a dirty look before muttering a very quiet, "Fine."

"Okay you shall read tomorrow morning, first thing. Okay everybody, it's off to bead with you! Would the house leaders please direct their houses to their common rooms? The guests stay here, I will arrange your rooms.

The Order all waved at: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George before the five were sent to the Griffindor common room.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Once Harry got into his dormitory, he collapsed on the bed. He was way too exhausted from the day, and he was going to need a lot of more sleep to tackle the next one.

After all, it was only the very first day of reading, and a bunch of his secrets had already been exposed.

"I hate this book," he muttered before he completely passed out, and feel asleep.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I personally didn't like this one very much and don't worry! I'm deciding of putting a talk in pretty soon (don't worry it will still be a reading-the-chapter chapter though) :D**

**Oh yeah and I just love Sirius, Remus and Hagrid! :D**

**Sorry thought, but the next chapter may be delayed a little. (Only by a few days) I'm going on vacation and I really doubt I'll be able to write while I'm there.**

**Anyways, good bye! See you soon and please review!**

28


	5. Chapter 5: THE LEAKEY CAULDRON

**A/N: So here I am, and just like I said, the story has been delayed a bit because of my vacation. Sorry about that.**

**Well on a more positive side, I would like to thank all of you guys! Thank you guys so much for waiting, thank you for your very wonderful reviews, thank you for favouriting my story and thank you for following my story and/or me! And thanks for favouriting me too, ;). **

**So here is the next chapter! Yeah buddy!**

**Disclaimer- Does it look like I own Harry Potter? No. And also, this is not an act of plagiarism.**

**And like I mentioned on my other story, I am so very excited for a VERY POTTER SENIOR YEAR, also known as, A VERY POTTER 3D to get uploaded to YouTube. Are any of you guys as pumped as me?**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

THE LEAKEY CAULDRON 

The next morning, all of the Hogwarts Students and The Guests (okay, maybe not ALL of them.), woke up nice and early around 7 am, the time Dumbledore requested them to wake up by, got ready, and then headed down to the Great Hall to continue reading the strange book they had received-**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**.

When Harry Potter got there, he was greeted by many of his fellow Gryffindors and many of the Guests that were there. He then took a seat next to his best friends, Hermione and Ron, and started to eat some breakfast.

Though, the whole Great Hall was soon interrupted by Dumbledore. "Good morning, everyone!" he exclaimed, very cheerfully. "Welcome to another day of reading the book we have received, to, and I quote, 'change the future'. We will shortly begin to continue to read after you all finish your breakfast," Dumbledore said and he left at that.

The conversations in the Great Hall, quickly resumed, and most of them were about what the chapters might be about today.

"What do you think it's going to be about Harry," asked Luna, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table as she had finished her breakfast. "As they are about you."

Harry finished chewing his breakfast before answering, "I have no clue, but I just hope it's not as embarrassing as yesterday." Harry shuddered remembering all of the embarrassing moments the book had revealed yesterday. He was not at all, fond of it.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I actually found those moments very amusing," stated Ron, which earned snickers from everyone else, and earned a glare from Harry.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see," murmured Neville.

"I see pretty much all of you have finished eating," announced Dumbledore, beaming. The conversations in the hall immediately died down, and the Dumbledore continued to speak. "Okay we shall begin to read again! We left off yesterday, in which Severus would read," he stated. He then summoned Snape to walk forward and take the book.

Snape took it, but not without sending a few glares to everyone in the hall, especially Dumbledore. He then sat on his chair, and sighed as he began to read.

**The Leakey Cauldron **Snape read with a scowl.

**It took Harry several days to get used to his strange new freedom.**

"And man was it good," Harry added. _Might as well start this day positively _he thought.

**Never before had he been able to get up whenever he wanted or eat whatever he fancied.**

Upon hearing that, the usual dirty looks were sent at the Dursleys. They were still very scared of everyone though.

**He could even go wherever he pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.**

"See Fudge, look how cooperative and innocent ickle Harry is," said George with a grin.

"Yeah and how cooperative have you been? Well, you keep saying Harry is crazy and you keep being such a meanie!" exclaimed Fred, with just as large as a grin as George's. The Hall burst out laughing, while Fudge scowled and sent the twins very angry looks.

**Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he liked watching the other guests: funny little witches**

"Yup, very detailed-descriptions, check," stated Hermione, causing some more people to chuckle.

**from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in **_**Transfiguration Today**_**; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver**

"Very observant, check," added Hermione. Harry started to blush, just a tiny bit.

**from behind a thick woolen balaclava.**

"Whoa Harry, whoa, you should write a book or something, with all of those descriptive pieces, you could make a fortune!" stated Dean, grinning.

"Hmph. Potter writing a book? Like anyone would read that," added Draco, giving Harry a cold stare, just as Harry was doing to him.

"Oh just zip it Malfoy, you're just jealous," said Ron.

"Jealous of what? Being really observant and having great description skills?" mocked Malfoy, causing his group to laugh.

"Um, yeah, that exactly," said Ron with a comeback, causing _his _bigger group, to also start laughing.****

**After breakfast Harry would go out into the backyard, take out his wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.**

"And that's what we call, _MAGIC_!" exclaimed a student, gleefully,

Dudley was gawking. After hearing all about it, having magic did sound pretty cool. He would never confess that to his parents though-_never_**  
**

**Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes,**

"Which is what a real summer is like," said Harry mostly staring at Dudley, because Dudley's summers mainly consisted of beating-up children less than half the size of him.

**where his fellow diners **

"Making friends aren't you Harry?" asked Ginny jokingly, and he just shrugged in response.

"Of course I am. Quite easy you know," Harry replied back, in a jokingly manner too.

**were showing one another their purchases ("It's a lunascope, old boy - no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black**

"Of course they're going to be talking about me! I'm just a fan favourite," said Sirius with a high level of sarcasm. "Hey it's not like they could help it though, I'm just-"

Sirius was interrupted by Snape. "And much as we'd like to hear about you rant about yourself Black," Sirius was now sending a look full of pure-hatred towards him, "I suggest we keep reading so we can just get this over with."

A few people snickered, while others gasped. Did Snape just make a funny joke?

_Whoa whoa whoa, did Snape just actually make a FUNNY joke? _Thought Harry to himself. _Man, this book IS actually really turning everyone mental. EVERYONE, mental._

**("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban").**

"I wouldn't go after little children," muttered Sirius in frustration.

**Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; **

More dirty looks were sent over to the Dursleys.

**now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor,**

"Oh my god, that ice cream is brilliant!" exclaimed a student, and many others nodded in agreement.

"You got that right!" exclaimed Ron back, grinning from the thought of that magnificent ice cream, just like many others were.

**finishing all his essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half an hour.**

"That is very generous of him," stated Molly, smiling.

"Seems a bit strange though," said Moody. "He could be trying to poison you, be more cautious." He instructed and Harry nodded.

"Oh yeah cause the ice cream man is totally going to _poison _him," said Tonks as she rolled her eyes.

"You never know Nym-"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" A few students smirked at that.

"You never know, TONKS, even the least-likely looking can be the most dangerous."

"Okay … I won't disagree to that fact."****

**Once Harry had refilled his money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from his vault at Gringotts, he had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. **

"There's just so much to buy!"

**He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel to ask the Dursleys for money for spellbooks, to stop himself from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirt a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lose a point). **

"And that is why wizarding games have always been way more amusing than muggle games."

**He was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson.**

Some students beamed at the thought of never taking Astronomy again.

**But the thing that tested Harry's resolution most appeared in his favorite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies; a week after he'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.**

"I wonder what it is," said Fred.

"Oh you'll see," replied Harry, smiling, from remembering the magnificent broom in the shop, which was none other than the famous: FIREBOLT.

******Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry edged his way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until he glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom he had ever seen in his life.**

The Quidditch fans of the Hall got excited. Which broom was it?****

**"Just come out - prototype -" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.**

"Whoa, must've been really brilliant," said Sirius with a giant smirk, remembering his gift to Harry, and how happy Harry had been. It was the least he could have done.

Harry was smirking at him back, "Oh you bet it was."**  
**

**"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm.**

The students were getting a bit impatient. Which broom WAS IT?****

**"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"**

The students were getting more and more impatient by the second. WHICH BROOM WAS IT? ****

**A large witch in front of Harry moved, and he was able to read the sign next to the broom:****  
**_**  
**__**** THE FIREBOLT ****_

The students then understood why everyone was so amazed by the broom in the story. The Firebolt was one of the best brooms ever. EVER.

"The Firebolt?" squealed a student. "That broom is a LEGEND!"

Harry smiled, "It sure is."

"You mean you have it right," the student looked even more amazed.

"As a matter of fact, _yes_," answered Harry back.

A giant grin spread across the kid's face. Harry could see now that this student was a first year. "COULD I MAYBE SEE IT?" asked the kid.

Harry smiled back. "Sure thing, maybe I'll even let you ride it." The kid's spread across his face even more-if that was _possible_, that is.

"T-thanks!" Was the only thing he could reply back.

_**THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.**_

The students and guests, who didn't know about were truly amazed now, and the people who already did now, were even more amazed. This broom was defiantly a _legend_.

Snape decided to quickly read before any more outbursts could come. He really wanted to get his reading over the chapter over with, and these people sure weren't making that easy.

******Price on request...Harry didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost.**

"A few hundred, or maybe even a thousand galleons at most," stated a student. "Which is a VERY high price, but it must be worth it."

**He had never wanted anything as much in his whole life - but he had never lost a Quidditch match on his Nimbus Two Thousand,**

Harry smiled remembering his old broom. Sure he had a Firebolt, but the Nimbus Two Thousand was truly great. It may not have nearly as fast, or nice-but it was still his first ever broom and of coursed he loved it and still missed it.

**and what was the point in emptying his Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when he had a very good broom already? Harry didn't ask for the price, but he returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt.**

"It was just that good," added Harry.****

**There were, however, things that Harry needed to buy. He went to the Apothecary to replenish his store of potions ingredients, and as his school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg,**

"That's always the exact same with everyone every year," stated Molly. "They all grow like crazy and I really just wished that they sold one-size that fits all."

"That would be very amusing on some people," said George adding on to what his mom had said."Very amusing actually."

Molly sent him a disapproving look and he sighed. "But I guess we'll never actually ever get to see it. When Molly turned the other way, he quickly sent Fred a '_we'll talk about this later_' type of look.

**he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, he had to buy his new schoolbooks, which would include those for his two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures**

Some of the students, including the most eager ones, Harry, Ron and Hermione all cheered.

Hagrid beamed at all of them.

**and Divination.**

There wasn't much cheering for this subject though.****

**Harry got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.**

"Well that's completely normal," stated Remus, with sarcasm of course.****

**Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. Now Harry understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful.**

"See Harry? It did come in handy!" exclaimed Hagrid and Harry beamed at him.

**He felt relieved; he had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.**

Hagrid blushed and Hermione, Ron and Harry all shuddered remembering all of the other "pets" Hagrid had had, that they had helped with. ****

**As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward him.******

**"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"******

**"Yes," said Harry, "I need -"******

**"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry aside. **

"Whoa, somebody is a scared of children shopping for school supplies," said Lee. "I never knew that there was fear of such."

**He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.**

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. Well that explains everything." ****

**"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."******

**"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. **

"You just made his day Harry, you just made his day."

**"Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning -"**

"That's gotta be some type of record for him," said Ron.

"Well yeah, because I suppose he doesn't get bitten by books that often," added Hermione, causing Ron to blush and others to laugh.****

**A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.**

"Ouch! That's gotta hurt!"**  
**

**"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility**

The Hall burst out laughing at that situation.

**- cost a fortune, and we never found them...Well...is there anything else I can help you with?"******

**"Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist, "I need Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky."******

**"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" **

"Sadly," Ron muttered to Hermione and Harry.

**said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.******

**"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods - palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails."******

**But Harry wasn't listening. His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: Death Omens - What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.**

"Oh my gosh Harry, oh my gosh," said Molly.

"Errr, what do you mean?" asked Harry.

"Why do you need to go look at things like that!"

"Um … I guess it just caught my eye …" replied Harry back.

Molly looked like she was about to say something, however she didn't. She just looked at Snape, who continued to read again much to his displeasure and pleasure.

_When will this stupid chapter end, and yes! The more I read, and the less interruptions I get, the quicker I can get done with this stupid chapter already! _Though Severus to himself.

**"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."**

"He used death about two times in that sentence. Well I guess he'll make his point then," stated a student.****

**But Harry continued to stare at the front cover of the book;**

"What a rebel you are!" exclaimed Fred.

Harry shot him a dirty look.

**it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar...**

"Of course it always has to be a dog," muttered Sirius, making the people who understood, snicker, and making the people who had no clue that Sirius was an animangus, even more confused than earlier. ****

**The manager pressed Unfogging the Future into Harry's hands.******

**"Anything else?" he said.******

**"Yes," said Harry, tearing his eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting his booklist. "Er - I need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."**

"So many books!" exclaimed a third year. "Honestly, too much learning." ****

**Harry emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with his new books under his arms and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where he was going and bumping into several people.**

"Wow Harry wow. Well aren't you in a rush," said Ron.

"Shut up, Ron," Harry replied back.

"I cannot believe I'm saying this Potter, but thank you, you have saved us all precious time," said Snape, which caused more gasps.

_Did Snape just make another funny comment? I must be turning mental or something, there's no way he could have done it twice! _Though Harry, but what he said was, "Errr, thanks …?" Ron just frowned.

**He tramped up the stairs to his room, went inside, and tipped his books onto his bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Harry could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street**

"Those muggles …"

**behind him and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. He caught sight of himself in the mirror over the basin.******

**"It can't have been a death omen," he told his reflection defiantly. **

"Yeah Harry, you know it could have just been any old dog," said Sirius defensively.

"Well Sirius, I guess I was panicking," replied harry back.

"Hey Sirius, that gives me a question, why are you so defensive of that dog that was there that night?" asked Remus thoughtfully.

_The truth is that dog was me _thought Sirius, but what he answered was, "Hey, I'm just sticking up for my fellow canines!"

Remus looked like he was going to say something else, but he didn't. The thoughtful expression was still on his face though. He was probably thinking about that.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: Sorry just a quick authors note to make some things less confusing.**

**Okay, so I'm just going to assume that no one knows that it was Sirius on the muggle street that time. They know about the other times though, because I remember him telling them all, but I don't think he told them about that certain specific night. He might've just told him he'd watched him on a muggle street once.**

**Thank you guys and now back to the story:**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**"I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent...It was probably just a stray dog..."**

"See Sirius, my old self does know!"****

**He raised his hand automatically and tried to make his hair lie flat****.**

"Impossible," muttered Molly, Ron, Hermione, Sirius and Remus.

"Just like James," said Sirius, beaming. "No matter what he tried, it always failed.

"Even the glue/gel mixture didn't work," muttered Remus. After seeing the confused looks he then muttered, "Prank," after.

Some people started to laugh.****

**"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice.**

More people started to laugh after hearing that.

"Even the mirror agrees with us!" exclaimed Ron, and Harry punched him on the arm in response.****

**As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan**

Seamus grinned. "Yay! I was finally mentioned in the story!"

**and Dean Thomas,**

"And so was I!" added Dean, grinning.

"Yeah, but not after me."

"You just have to rub that fact in, don't you?"

"Yup!" Some people chuckled at the Dean's 'annoyed' expression, and Seamus's 'proud' expression.

Harry sent Dean an apologetic look, but he just smiled back.

**his fellow Gryffindors,**

"Yeah buddy."

**in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; he also ran into the real Neville Longbottom,**

Neville smiled. "Yeah it's the real me now, not the imposter-Harry version!" Harry grinned while the others smirked.

**a round-faced, forgetful boy,**

Neville blushed at that and Snape sent him an _I-totally-agree-with-that _look.

Neville just sighed. It was true, he was VERY forgetful.

**outside Flourish and Blotts. Harry didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. **

A few people snickered and Neville started to a blush even more.

**Harry hoped she never found out that he'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic.**

"Yup, you'd get a good ten-minute yelling lecture if she did," sighed Neville. "Thanks a lot Harry," he added with sarcasm after.

"I'm sorry Neville, it just came to me! It just seemed to fit, you know," Harry said, jokingly also.****

**Harry woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that he would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, **

"Sorry Harry …" they both said at the same time, feeling guilty.

"Oh come on guys, it was perfectly fine," replied Harry back.

**on the Hogwarts Express. He got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he'd have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned.******

**"Harry! HARRY!"******

**They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor - Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him.**

"Yeah, wait a second, we did make it through, see!" exclaimed Ron.

"Yeah Harry, see there was no need to worry!" added Hermione.

Harry just smiled at them.****

**"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and -"******

**"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"**

"Yeah Ron! Creepy much," said Fred, winning some laughter.

"Shut up!" replied Ron.****

**"Dad," said Ron simply.**

"Whoa Dad! Creepy much," said George this time, winning some more laughter.

"Not the time George," replied Arthur, though he was still smiling. "I assure you Harry, I wasn't trying to creep you or anything."

"Haha, of course I know that, Mr Weasley," laughed Harry.****

**Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.**

"Well just about every wizard and/or witch around the world knew, it's not every day that some wizard blows up their aunt," stated Tonks, causing most people to laugh.

Umbridge was sending her and Harry dirty looks.

******"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.**

"And of course Hermione's there to integrate," sighed Harry.

"Hey! I'm only doing that ever for your own good!" retorted Hermione, seriously. No pun intended this time, guys!

"Yeah … and I meant my first comment in a good way!" exclaimed Harry, hoping to please Hermione with that added on statement.

"How can you mean that in a good way?" asked Ron, who was defiantly amused, trying to change things up again, but all he got was another punch on his arm. "Oww Harry … by the time this book is done, my arm will probably be broken!"

Harry just smirked in reply. ****

**"I didn't mean to," said Harry,**

"Sure you didn't …"

**while Ron roared with laughter.**

"Typical Ron," said Ginny while she rolled her eyes.

"Hey!"

**"I just - lost control."**

People started to laugh at that statement.****

**"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."**

"So was I, trust me."****

**"So am I," admitted Harry.**

"Same to same!" exclaimed Lee, grinning.

**"Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested."**

The hall was laughing even more.

**He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"******

**"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that.**

Snape scowled. He had to agree with Weasley on that one.

**I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me.**

"That I would have," said Molly, reassuringly.

**Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"******

**Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."******

**"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"******

**"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. **

"Thank goodness you got a new one. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you had blasted somebody's head off with that thing already by then," stated Charlie.

"Actually he came pretty close to that, he almost blasted by neck off with that thing once," said Ginny, sourly.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault!" protested Ron. "It was that darned Womping Willow's fault!"

Remus sighed. _Well, luckily it hadn't had been Ron or Harry that had been broken in half that night … _he thought. Harry had told him and Sirius about that earlier in the summer, and both hadn't been too fond to hear that story.

"Ronald, language!" exclaimed Molly, glaring at him.

"Sorry Mum …" replied Ron back, while the other Weasleys (except Percy) sneered at him. Ron glared at them in return.

**And we've got all our books -" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."**

Hagrid was blushing again.****

**"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.******

**"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies -"**

The third year students and others were staring at her like she was crazy.

"Are you mental!" exclaimed a third year student. "So many extra subjects!"

"That's what we told her," muttered Ron to the kid.

"How did you not get chosen to be in Ravenclaw?" asked a fellow Ravenclaw. "It takes brain power for all of that.

"That's what I was wondering," said Hermione. "But in the end, I guess it was decided that I was more courageous than smart."

_That is true _thought Harry _With all of our adventures and everything, it does make perfect sense!_

Snape continued to read, before more comments towards Granger could be made.****

**"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"****  
**

Many of the students were wondering the same thing.

******"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.**

"Only Hermione," said Ginny with a sigh, and the twins nodded in agreement.****

**"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them.******

**"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."******

**"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.**

"Wow Ron, that's all?" asked Fred.

"Come on Ronniekins, you could have done better than that!" added George.

Ron and Hermione were both glaring at them for different reasons.

"I'd like to see you try," he muttered at them back.

"I shall continue reading now," interrupted Snape. _Why do these people have to talk so much when I have to read?_

**"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol -"******

**"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers."**

The normal scowls were sent from Harry, Hermione, Ron, Remus and Sirius.

The students were getting more and more confused by the second. WHY IN THE WORLD WERE THEY ALWAYS SCOWLING AT THE MENTION OF A PET RAT?

**He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."**

"Good. In fact I wish I could have treated him worse," said Harry coldly.****

**Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.**

"If only he could've suffered way more," said Remus to Sirius, and Sirius nodded in agreement.****

**"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."******

**So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.******

**There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.******

**A pair of enormous purple toads**

Everyone absently-mindedly started at Umbridge when the toad was mentioned. She was sending them murderous looks in return, but that was a normal Umbridge thing.

**sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. **

"Yup, the rabbits of the Wizarding World."

**Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.******

**The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.******

**"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."******

**"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.**

"Oh please tell me you did just literally bang him o the table," pleaded Sirius.

Ron frowned, "I wish I would've."

"I think we all wish that we had took that literally," added Hermione, also frowning.****

**Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.******

**Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.******

**"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"******

**"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."******

**"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.**

"Cowardness."****

**"Er -" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing,**

Remus and Sirius were practically growling.

**and tutted loudly.******

**"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.******

**"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.**

Percy sent Ron a dirty look. _Ugh, Ron used to be, and is, SO annoying _he thought to himself.****

**"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. **

"I guess that should have been a hint," muttered Ron.

**"Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these -"******

**She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."**

"Ron, what do you have against skipping rats?" asked Ginny with a smirk.

Ron scowled. "Nothing with them, I just have it against OTHER SPECIFIC rats," stated Ron.****

**"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.******

**"Okay," said Ron. "How much - OUCH!"******

**Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage,**

"What in the world was that?" asked Lavender Brown.

Ron and Harry exchanged looks and then both stated at the exact same time, "Crookshanks."

"Err … um … what exactly?"

Ron frowned. "Oh Crookshanks in Hermione's pet tiger."

The students who didn't know Ron was joking were dazed.

"You have a tiger?" asked one of those students to Hermione.

Hermione sent a look at Ron. "No, Crookshanks is a cat. Ron was just exaggerating."

Harry spoke this time. "You're wrong there, Hermione, Crookshanks is huge! He's either a giant cat or a tiny tiger, or both."

"He's just a bit bigger than a normal CAT. And no, he is nowhere close to being the size of a tiger," protested Hermione.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George all sent Hermione, _are you kidding me _looks at her statement. She just ignored them all and instead said, "Professor Snape may you please continue."

"I've been waiting through this whole chapter to continue," stated Severus, "And yes I will gladly continue."

"Snape can be glad?" asked Lee, confusedly; making everyone laugh and making Snape send him a dirty look before 'gladly' continuing to read.

**landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.**

"On second thought, I do wish that that cat had done something to him," said Ron.****

**"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.**

"And that was a random by Crookshanks, I believe," stated Tonks, causing people to laugh.

******"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed.******

**It took them nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. **

"Always a great hider, wasn't he?" asked Sirius through clenched teeth.

"Yes he was Sirius, yes he was," replied Remus with just as much hate-venom in his voice.

**Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.******

**"What was that?"******

**"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said Harry.**

"Exactly like I said earlier!" exclaimed Harry.

"Oh shut up Harry," replied Hermione.****

**"Where's Hermione?"******

**"Probably getting her owl."******

**They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.******

**"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.****  
**

"Crookshanks is not a monster," said Ginny. "He's actually really sweet," and Hermione grinned at that statement.

"That's easy for you to say, Ginny, he didn't try to cut off your head with his claws did he?"

******"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.******

**That was a matter of opinion, thought Harry. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall.**

"Thanks a lot, Harry."

"Of course I didn't mean that offensively, Hermione!"

**Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.**

"Yes, that cat is very smart," stated Sirius. _After all, he was the one who brought that traitor rat to me in the first place._****

**"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.******

**"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.******

**"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"******

**"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."****  
**

"I wonder why," said a student with sarcasm, making Hermione frown at them.

******"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically**

Some people started laughing, and the student and Ron were exchanging similar beaming looks.

**as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.******

**They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.**

Arthur beamed. He was finally getting mentioned now, live, other than being mentioned in the newspaper, the _Daily Prophet_.****

**"Harry!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"******

**"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping.******

**Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and Harry saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him.**

"Heh heh heh, here I am again. Man am I popular!"

"Being an accused murderer isn't a good thing. How many times do I have to tell you this?" asked Remus, annoyed.

"As many times until his thick head finally understands," stated Tonks, earning a dirty look from Sirius, both laughter from others.****

**"They still haven't caught him, then?" he asked.******

**"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."******

**"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money -"**

"Thanks Ron, it's occurred to me how much you like me now," said Sirius.

"Well … at that time I did think you were a murder so you can't really blame me …" replied Ron.****

**"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. **

"Yeah Ron!"

"I get it Sirius!"

"But a lot of thirteen year olds are smarter than some of the Ministry employees," said Harry.

The Ministry employees sent him dirty looks, and Sirius just, "Oh yeah, sorry I completely forgot. Those darn Ministrants."

**It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, You mark my words."**

Sirius shuddered and Arthur sent him an apologetic look, which he got a smile in return for.****

**At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, **

"Yes! Here we are!" exclaimed Fred.

"Yes, the whole point of the book showed up!" added George. The others sighed while some sniggered.

**who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy;**

All the Weasleys (except Percy, obviously) scowled.

**and the Weasleys" youngest child and only girl, Ginny.**

"And here I am too," said Ginny, beaming.****

**Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry,**

Ginny was blushing a very, very dark red colour right now, and Harry was also blushing a little bit.

_Stupid book! _They both thought to themselves.

**seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, **

Ginny was blushing even more, if that was possible, right now.

_Oh my god, I thought this book was about Harry, which it is, but I never knew he was so observant before. I better watch out for that now, in case we have to read any other books _thought Ginny.

**perhaps because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts.**

"Hmph, like that's it," whispered Hermione to Ginny, who punched Hermione after that comment.

**She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at him. **

She wasn't looking at him right now, either.

**Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."**

The other Weasleys and Hermione laughed, and Percy just closed his eyes, and tried very hard not to say anything.****

**"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh.**

This was what some students were doing right now.

_Well, that's what I get for being very polite to the wrong people _Percy thought.

**"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.**

"I actually really miss this Percy," said Bill rather coldly, and all of the others nodded.****

**"Very well, thanks -"******

**"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy -"******

**"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."**

The Great Hall erupted into laughter. All except for the occasional few though, who found this very offensive, somehow.****

**Percy scowled.**

The exact same thing he was doing right now.****

**"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.**

She was the only one out of the Weasleys who weren't laughing. Instead, she was trying very hard not to cry right now. She really missed her son-a lot.****

**"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you -"**

"Corking!" exclaimed Lee through tears of laughter. ****

**"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.******

**"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.**

"Fred has no hope in us, does he Ron?"

"None at all Ginny, none at all."****

**I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."**

"Well that's obvious."****

**"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."**

McGonagall the other professors sighed, except for Dumbledore. ****

**Ginny giggled.**

"See it was a bad influence on Ginny," said Molly.

"Mum, I'm absolutely fine!" exclaimed Ginny.****

**"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.**

:It's good to see I agree with my other self," said Molly.****

**"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily.**

"As if I think of you as an example," whispered Ginny to herself.

**"I'm going up to change for dinner..."******

**He disappeared and George heaved a sigh.******

**"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry. "But Mum spotted us."**

More laughter.****

** )()()()()()()()()()()()()()(******

**Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.******

**"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.****  
**

Everyone started at Remus.

"Oh come on guys!" he protested but they just all smirked.

******"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.******

**Everyone looked up at him.**

"Cars …?" asked a confused student, who didn't know what those were since he grew up completely in the Wizarding World.

"A muggle mode of transportation," stated Hermione.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh." ****

**"Why?" said Percy curiously.******

**"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them-"**

**"- for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.**

Even more laughter and Percy sent murderous looks at his twin brothers.****

**Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.**

Percy also sent a bunch of looks at his family, Harry and Hermione.

**"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.******

**"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor..."******

**His voice was casual, but Harry couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.**

Arthur and Ron both blushed.

"My, my Harry, you are very observant!" exclaimed Arthur.

Harry blushed and murmured, "Thanks …" ****

**"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...You are all packed, aren't you?"******

**"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."**

Ron was sending a annoyed look at a sneering Percy.****

**"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.******

**After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. He had just closed and locked his own trunk when he heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.******

**The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.**

Percy was blushing.****

**"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing -"******

**"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.**

The two brothers were sending very angry looks to each other. Partly because of that old memory from the book, and partly from what was happening in the present right now.****

**"What's up?" said Harry.******

**"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on Harry.**

Fred and George were whistling innocently, causing a lot of more laughter to erupt in the Great Hall. ****

**"So's Scabbers's Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar -"******

**"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.******

**"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said to Ron, and he went downstairs.******

**Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, he recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys". **

**He hesitated, not wanting them to know he'd heard them arguing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, then move closer to the parlor door.**

He sent an apologetic look towards them and said, "Sorry for eavesdropping."

Molly and Arthur were smiling at him though. "It's quite alright Harry," said Arthur.

"And like you said before, that has happened in the past. No need to worry now about it," added Molly. "And we were also talking about you, so sorry about that."

Harry smiled back at them this time. "Haha of course it's okay!"

******"...makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and -"******

**"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy ****  
****"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley.**

Sirius smiled at Arthur. "That is exactly what he would need in a situation like that, a warning."

**"You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice!**

The students and professors who didn't know about all of The Trio's adventures stared at them strangely, and those who did know, sighed.

**But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home!**

"Which was a very foolish move."

**If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."******

**"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point -"******

**"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is,**

Sirius sent them funny looks, and they all just ended up laughing.

**but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. **

"That it is," said Sirius.

**It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after -"******

**"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."******

**"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."******

**"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry -"******

**There was a thud on wood, and Harry was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table.**

Arthur and Molly were blushing now, remembering the situation.****

**"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet,**

The students who didn't believe Harry at all and who only believed the Ministry were now sending strange looks over to Fudge, who was avoiding contact with anybody. The students were confused though, could Harry actually be correct and could the Ministry actually be wrong?

**but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. **

Sirius blushed. "I don't do that anymore, just to let you know."

**Always the same words: "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts." Black is deranged, **

"Yup, always suspected that much."

"Shut up Remus! I am not mental and/or deranged!"

"They mean the same thing."

"Just shut up!"

**Molly and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power.**

"Voldemort is a moron," said Sirius. Some people gasped at the name, and some people gasped at the fact that Sirius was brave enough to say something like that.

**Black lost everything the night**

"True."

**Harry stopped You-Know-Who, **

"I didn't care about You-Know-The-Idiot-Who though."

**and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."******

**There was a silence. Harry leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.******

**"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster.**

Dumbledore smiled. "However, I do think it would be wiser to tell the boy."

**I suppose he knows about all this?"******

**"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."**

Dumbledore scowled at the thought of Dementors ever guarding his school again. No chance would he even left them come close to it. ****

**"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"******

**"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that...but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."******

**"If they save Harry -"******

**"¨C then I will never say another word against them, said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."******

**Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.******

**The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.******

**Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.******

**"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it."**

"I knew it was you idiots the whole time," said Percy, but be before anyone could retort Snape spoke up.

"I see that there is only about a page of this horrid chapter left, so stay quiet," he stated. ****

**The badge now read Bighead Boy.**

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Lee, going against everything Snape had said, and he scowled while other laughed at that fact.****

**Harry forced a laugh, **

"Oh come on Harry, you have to give us some credit," said George.

"Well I had just learnt that there was a murderer after me, so I wasn't in that much of a good mood," stated Harry.

**went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.******

**So Sirius Black was after him. This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive.**

Fudge was blushing.

**He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasleys could look after Harry until he was on the train.******

**Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared. Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse;**

"Supposedly." Added Harry.

**Mr. and Mrs., Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic-stricken if he knew the truth. But Harry happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be.**

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, his eyes twinkling.

**Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him?**

"I ain't no right-hand man to that jerk," said Sirius. "And I never would be, even if my life depended on it."

******And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote.******

**No, all in all, the thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught; in fact, Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed.******

**He scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think he couldn't look after himself? He'd escaped Lord Voldemort**

Gasping and Flinching.

**three times; he wasn't completely useless...******

**Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind. What to do when you know the worst is coming...******

**"I'm not going to be murdered," Harry said out loud.******

**"That's the spirit, dear," said his mirror sleepily.**

"Well that's a nice way to end it," said McGonagall.

"I'm finally done with this accursed book," said Snape, finally relieved but showing no emotion however. "Who is going to read next?"

"Pass it here, Snapey," said George gesturing for Severus to give him the book. Molly sent George an angered look. "Fine, I mean, PLEASE, pass it here, PROFESSOR Snapey," he corrected. Laughter erupted.

Snape grumbled, but handed the book to George who gleefully took it.

**The Dementor **George read.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: So that was that, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. This was the longest chapter yet!**

**The next chapter is one of my favourites just to let you know haha. Why? Well not because they get attacked by dementors, I assure you. It is because my favourite character is introduced! Yup! Remus Lupin finally comes into the scene! :D**

**And like I said before, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL A VERY POTTER SENIOR YEAR COMES OUT ON YOUTUBE!**

**So the next chapter should come out in about a week and thank you once more for waiting for this one. :) **

**Hope you liked it and please review! **

_**SORRY FOR WASTING YOUR TIME, FOLKS. STUPID RAMBALING … **_

38


	6. Chapter 6: THE DEMENTOR

**A/N: Hi guys. :)**

**Oh yeah, one of you guys asked what A Very Potter Senior Year is, here I can tell you.**

**So A Very Potter Senior Year is the sequel to a sequel to the Very Potter Musical, which is a musical parody about the Harry Potter books, directed and all done by Starkid productions. You can go on YouTube and watch the musical there. It's quite hilarious.**

**Continuing … thanks for reading my last chapter, reviewing to my last chapter, following me and/or this story or favouriting me and/or this story. So thank you everyone! **

**Disclaimer- I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, OR A VERY POTTER MUSICAL/SEQUEL/SENIOR YEAR OR YOUTUBE. **

**And, uh oh! Looks like schools starting in about a week or so. Shoot. Now, in two weeks, I'm going to be sitting in a desk, taking a bunch and bunch and bunch and bunch of notes on every single little tiny point of information so I could get ready for the year-end finals. Isn't that splendid?**

**That also means my updates might sometimes be a bit delayed … but I'll try to do this on time. :)**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

THE DEMENTOR

**The Dementor **read George.

Everyone who had ever faced a dementor, seen a dementor, and had heard of a dementor all shuddered from remembering that gruesome thing.

This chapter wouldn't be all that splendid.

Harry blushed remembering this memory. _Shoot! This was the time when I fainted because I saw a dementor for the first time ever! Oh great, now everybody is going to know, and I bet half of them won't every let me hear the end of it …_

**Tom woke Harry the next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.**

"Not much of a morning person, are you?" asked Lavender, grinning.

"He's not much of an any-time person," corrected Ginny, earning laughter from everybody else, and a scowl from Ron.

"Come on Ronniekins," said Fred.

"There is no need to be shy of the truth," added George.

"Oh shut up, will you three?" muttered Ron, scowling at a grinning Ginny, George and Fred.

**"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy**

"A.k.a big-time git," added George, getting an approved look from all of the Weasley children and Arthur.

**at Hogwarts.**

Percy sent an annoyed look at Ron. _Unappreciative, jealous brother … _he thought.

**Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. **

Percy blushed at the mention of his girlfriend. She was in this story too? Well who wasn't?

**You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend.**

All of the students sent Percy puzzled looks. After everything they had heard of him … he actually had a girlfriend? Many were surprised ...

**She's hidden her face un****der the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."**

Percy sent Ron a very murderous look, but George quickly continued to read after getting a stern look from Arthur.

**"I've got something to tell you," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.**

The two were also sending approving looks at him, now.

**They headed down to breakfast, where ****Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. **

Quizzical looks were sent at the three.

**All three of them were rather giggly.**

"Of course observant Harry has to notice," said Hermione, causing Harry to blush rather than the three.

**"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry**** as they sat down.**

**"Later," Harry muttered as Percy stormed in.**

_Of course when I come in they all shut up _thought Percy.

**Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the ****door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.**

"Yup as if that would be helpful in that situation."

"Well Ron, that place doesn't always have a large group of kids trampling down the stairs with luggage all the time," stated Hermione, matter-of-factly.

"Hermione, logic wasn't needed!

**"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the t****rain."**

"Well unless there are any rats aboard, I don't see a problem," said a student.

"Cough, Scabbers, cough," said another student, causing others to smirk.

Ron spoke up. "Don't even call that thing a rat he doesn't deserve the title of that," and Harry and Hermione nodded.

The students started at the Trio, confusedly.

**"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"**

_This is really confusing _thought a student. _In the book, he is defending the rat, and right now, he, and everyone else are all hating on the rat? What's with this rat? Hopefully everything will be cleared up soon … _

**He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.**

**Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.**

**"They're here, he said. "Harry, come on."**

**Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old- fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.**

"Classy …"

**"I****n you get, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.**

**Harry got into the back of the car and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy.**

Molly gave both of them pleading looks to stop fighting, but both were too busy scowling to notice.

**The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Harry'****s trip on the Knight Bus. **

"And that, thankfully, is a good thing," said Arthur.

**The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. Though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed.**

Vernon scowled. These freaks had thought of everything hadn't they?

**They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; **

"Which was a huge improvement from the year before," muttered Harry and Ron nodded.

"What happened the year before?" asked Dean, curiously.

"Well let's just say it involved running into the brick wall that would normally get us into the station of the Hogwarts express, driving a flying car without experience, and lastly, crashing into the Whomping Willow," said Ron.

Dean, and everyone else looked shocked.

"That had to be the highlight of that year," Seamus said.

"No, sadly," sighed McGonagall, remembering all of the various occasions the kids had been sent to her office, for many different reasons and for many different situations.

**the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley,**

Arthur and the other Weasleys smiled.

**and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.**

"Magic!"

**Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all th****e way into the station.**

**"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."**

**Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley**** and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier.**

"Yes because running straight at the wall would cause very much unwanted attention," stated Sirius, causing the others to laugh.

**Harry imitated him.**

**In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto p****latform nine and three- quarters **

Dudley was amazed. So all of these wizards and witches could go through solid walls? Amazing!

**and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, **

Many students beamed, thinking about the train.

**a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.**

**Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They w****ere panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.**

Imagine them both into the wall! That would be hilarious!" added George afterwards.

Ginny and Percy sent him murderous looks. "Don't make me hex you!" threatened Ginny.

George, who had had very much experience with Ginny's horrible hexes, quickly added to his first statement, "And I was just joking of course, because that situation would be horrible!"

Ginny sent an approving smile towards him while Percy thought, _I can't believe I'm saying this but thankfully Ginny said something before I could! Or that would have looked very bad to the Ministry!_

**"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going Pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, c****urly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.**

'"Show-off Prat as always," grumbled Fred.

**stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.**

**"I need to talk ****to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.**

**"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.**

"Ron, you could have said it a tad bit nicer you know," said Ginny.

**"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty comp****artment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.**

Remus turned a very red colour remembering when they had first met him. Of course he had had to be passed out.

Sirius, who has seen the blush on Remus's face, was very eager to see what happened next.

**This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pu****shed the food cart.**

All of the other students looked confused too.

**The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray.**

Everyone (who knew Remus) glanced towards Remus, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I think I know who it is …" said Tonks, grinning. "Ha! You were asleep when they first met you? It so beats me breaking the plate!"

Some of the students and guests, sniggered. Remus blushed. "Errr, well I was very tired, since you know why-" He had been interrupted.

"Lack of chocolate?" asked Sirius causing the others to start laughing.

"No Sirius, you perfectly know what I'm talking about!"

"If you insist …"

George, through his laughter, continued to read.

**"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hi****ssed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.**

**"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.**

Everyone started at her, all very confused and dumbstruck.

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Lee

"You'll see!" exclaimed Hermione grinning, remembering that as the exact same question Ron had asked her back then.

**"How d'you know that?"**

**"It's on his case," she replied, **

Everyone instantly knew, and felt dumb.

"Ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ."

**pointing at the luggage rack over the man's hea****d, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin**

"You mean Professor Moony," said Sirius, smirking.

Fred, Lee and George were stunned, and others were confused by the nickname.

"You mean Moony, as in Moony of the Marauders?" asked George, finally.

"Yup," answered Remus, beaming. "I was one of the marauders.

"So was I!" exclaimed Sirius!"Harry's father, James, was too! I was Padfoot while James was Prongs and Remus was Moony!" exclaimed Sirius completely leaving out Peter from the group. Snape scowled at the mention of the three people he hated most.

"NO. WAY." Said Lee. "THAT CANNOT BE TRUE."

"You guys are legends!" exclaimed Fred. "And Harry, that means you're the son of one prankster ever!"

"Haha, yup!" replied Harry.

_Hmph, legends _thought Snape. _They were all just a bunch of gits. A bunch of annoying, rude, gits._

Before Sirius or Remus could reply though, they were interrupted.

"WHO ARE THE MARAUDERS?" asked a student, who couldn't take not knowing any longer.

"Only the best pranksters of Hogwarts and map-creators ever!" exclaimed Fred. "They created a map of all of Hogwarts, ALL OF HOGWARTS."

The students were now looking at Remus and Sirius with a new-found admiration. There ex-professor and an accused Murderer were said to be the best pranksters ever?

George, still stunned, then continued to read.

**was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.**

**"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pal****lid profile.**

**"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."**

All of the students smiled, remembering the best DADA professor they had ever had.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There**** were rumors that the job was jinxed.**

"Sadly, I believe that may not be a rumour," sated Dumbledore.

Umbridge then sent him a questioning look, which he, obviously ignored.

**"well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like on, good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?**

Remus sent Ron a mischievous smile. "Is that so?" he asked.

Ron blushed. "No! Not at all! I didn't know you then so of course I had no clue … that's all!"

Remus gave Ron a satisfied smile while Moody grunted, "Well that's good you learnt that boy, because Lupin here, is actually one of the best duellers of his decade."

More admiration.

**Anyway..." He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"**

**Harry explained all about Mr. and Mr****s. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you?**

Hermione smiled at Sirius. "Of course I know that isn't true now …" she said, causing Sirius to smile back at her.

**Oh, Harry... you'll have to be really, really careful. don't go looking for trouble, Harry -"**

"Hermione, I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry. "Trouble usually finds me."

**"I Don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."**

Harry blushed and the others burst out laughing.

**"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron s****hakily.**

"Very."

**They were taking the news worse than Harry had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was.**

**"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a**** top-security prisoner too."**

Sirius smiled proudly. "I'll deny that I am a murderer, but I will not deny that I did, in fact, escape from Azkaban."

Everyone started at him, still very scared and still very shocked. How had he managed to do that?

**"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too..."**

"I'm just really good!"

**"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.**

**A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewher****e. The, looked all around the compartment.**

**"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in th****e palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.**

**"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.**

**"Yeah... mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to ****Harry."**

"See Ron, I told you!" exclaimed Bill.

"Just wait for it," Ron said with a confident smile.

**"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.**

**"No! Well... I wasn't supposed to be using Errol.**

"See?" exclaimed Ron.

"I'm still doubtful …"

**You know he's not really up to long journeys...**

"Oh Ron," sighed Molly. "He must have been exhausted!"

**but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"**

**"Stick ****it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up."**

**He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks,**

Vernon quietly growled. _Ungrateful brat! _He thought.

**which deadened the sound, th****en closed the lid of the trunk on it.**

"It seems to me that you actually got some good use from that after all," declared Ginny and Harry nodded.

**"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."**

"And you trust Fred and George all of a suddenly, why?" asked Charlie.

"Hey Charlie! That is offensive!" exclaimed Fred.

"Correction, VERY offensive! We are so trustworthy!" added George. "Right Ginny?"

"Do you honestly want me to lie? I don't think mum would approve …" answered Ginny.

Fred and George sent her fake-hurt looks.

"There's your proof, and I really doubt that," said Charlie.

"Oh we'll show you …" said Fred with a sneer.

"Oh yes, we'll show you all," added George, also with a sneer.

By now, the whole Great Hall was engulfed in laughter, and it took George a few minutes before he could begin reading again.

**"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?"**** asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"**

"Of course you had to READ about it."

"Oh shut up, Ron."

**"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way.**

**"But that's not Why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honey Dukes."**

"Of course the only thing YOU want to do there is, EAT."

"Oh be quiet Hermione!"

**"What's that?" said Hermione.**

"Yeah, what is that?" asked a few of the first and second years who didn't know that much about Hogsmeade.

**"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything... Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream,**** and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next -"**

The kids looked dazed.

"Now I know why you would want to go there so badly!"

**"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn w****as the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion,**

"Hermione, only you could be so excited to go to Hogsmeade for the first time, just to study about it's History and background," stated Lavender.

Hermione sent an annoyed look at her. "No, I believe others would be excited too, am I right guys?"

The Great Hall went silent, making Hermione more annoyed.

"I was," stated Remus breaking the silence, in attempt to get things rolling again.

"Yeah, but you're you!" exclaimed Sirius matter-of-factly, rolling his eyes.

"I'll start reading again!" announced George, rather cheerfully.

"Thanks Remus," whispered Hermione.

"Haha Hermione, that actually was quite true.

**and the Shrieking Shacks' supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -"**

Remus and Sirius both exchanged looks.

**"- and massive sherbert balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," sai****d Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.**

"That was completely expected," said Hermione.

"Are you saying I was a short attention span?" asked Ron.

"No I was just-"

"I think you are …"

"NO RON, I WAS JUST-" shouted Hermione.

"I THINK YOU ARE, HERMIONE …" shouted Ron back.

"Oh will you two ever stop fighting?" asked Harry, breaking up the fight.

The two exchanged annoyed looks with each other, and then blushed as George said, "That seems very unlikely Harry. I'll start reading again now, before these two will start another fight about how a phrase a sentence or something." The Great Hall erupted in more laughter, causing Hermione and Ron to blush more.

**Hermione looked around at Harry.**

"Yeah, 'cause he was the only one who would listen, since Ron was daydreaming about sweets and Remus was sleeping!" said Hermione before Ron could speak.

"Hey you can't bring me into this!" protested Remus. "You guys didn't even know me and I was exhausted!

Severus sighed, "She was obviously joking Lupin …" Remus sent a dirty look towards him.

"I know! I was just joking!" exclaimed Hermione, ignoring Snape . "That was mostly targeted at Ron."

"George just please keep reading, this could go on for ages," Harry said before Ron could retort.

George did as he was told, but he had to wait a moment for the Great Hall to once again, stop laughing.

**"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"**

"Oh yes, but Harry can't go!"

**"'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when You've fo****und out."**

"Aww Harry …"

**"What d'you mean?" said Ron.**

"Clueless."

"Hey!"

"GEORGE!"

**"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form,**

Even more dirty looks were sent towards them.

**and Fudge wouldn't either."**

Some dirty looks were sent at him too.

**Ron looked horrified.**

Some people chuckled at the abrupt statement.

"Overreacting … maybe …"

"Hey! My best friend wasn't going! Of course I was horrified!"

Harry smiled at Ron.

**"**_**You're not allowed to come**_**? But - no way - McGonagall or someone will give you permission –"**

"I have and had no right to do so, Mr Weasley," said McGonagall sternly, thought there was the tiniest bit of remorse on her face.

**Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of the Gryffindor house, was very strict.**

"Oh yes, VERY," confirmed Fred getting a sigh from McGonagall.

"Well she has no choice but to, since there's you two I the castle," stated Molly.

"—**Or we can ask Fred or George, they know every secret passage out of the castle—"**

"And we would have gladly had helped," said Fred and George at the same time. "But that's all thanks to the Marauders." Sirius and Remus smiled proudly at that.

That earned more sighs from McGonagall, other professors and Molly, and a scowl from Snape.

"**Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose—"**

"Yes I am very dangerous," stated Sirius

"Like if," added Tonks, rolling her eyes.

The others laughed.

"**Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for her permission," said Harry bitterly.**

"Harry, no need to be bitter," joked Lee. "It's for the best, after all."

"**But if **_**we**_**'re with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare—"**

"**Oh Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about Harry if **_**we're **_**here?"**

"Well I still believe we do pose much of a threat," stated Ron, dryly. "Now! … maybe …"

**She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshank's basket as she spoke.**

"**Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shook Crookshanks angrily off. **

"Whoa, Ron really doesn't like Crookshanks."

"Oh Ginny, stop it."

"**Get out of it!"**

"**Ron, don't! said Hermione angrily.**

**Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. **

"Yay! You're finally awake!" exclaimed Sirius.

**They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.**

"Or maybe not …"

"Wow, you really were exhausted weren't you Remus? Sleeping through all of that …

Remus blushed. "Err—um, yeah …!"

**The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. **

"He really wanted that rat," said a student.

**At one o'clock the plump witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door.**

"Oh how I love her so."

"**D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."**

"And he still does," said Tonks as she playfully poked Remus in the stomach.

"Argh Tonks! Don't do that!"

The others laughed.

**Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.**

"**Er—Professor?" she said "Excuse me—Professor?"**

**He didn't move.**

"Maybe if you slapped him on the face," suggested Sirius. "You could say it was on my behalf."

The other started laughing, once again.

"**Don't worry dear," said the witch, as she handed Harry a large stack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."**

"**I suppose he **_**is **_**asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean—he hasn't died, has he?"**

"It really does seem that way …"

"**No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake he passed her. **

**He may not have been very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses.**

"Hey! I'm excellent company!" protested Remus.

"Not so much when you're sleeping," retorted Harry.

**Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside their window,**

"Poetic, eh Harry?" George added.

**they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door. Draco Malfoy,**

"Hmph. Finally mentioned," stated Draco.

**flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.**

They sneered.

**Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since they had first met on their very first train journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face,**

"Perfect description, Harry," said Ron, scowling.

Draco was scowling back at him.

**was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team,**

Some of the people from the Slytherin Quidditch team cheered.

**the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. **

"And he plays a heck lot better," complimented Angelina.

"Haha thanks," said Harry back.

"As if," muttered Draco.

"In wouldn't be saying anything at this point, Malfoy. It's not like you joined the Quidditch team when you were in your first year or anything," said Katie Bell, causing Harry to blush a tiny bit.

Draco scowled while Harry said, "Thanks Katie!"

**Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. **

The two scowled, just as Draco was.

**They were both wide and mu****scly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms.**

"Now these are VERY accurate descriptions," said Hermione.

**"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel.****"**

The Slytherins chuckled, while Fred said, "Wow, amazing Malfoy."

"I know!" said Malfoy, cockily, and Angelina signalled George to continue reading before a fight broke out between the two.

**Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.**

"And this is when Harry's descriptive wording comes in handy," added George afterwards.

**"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy.**

Malfoy smiled proudly, and the room became more tense now.

This time all the Weasleys (and more) were scowling, even Percy was.

"Idiot," muttered Ron.

**"Did your mother die of shock?"**

Before anyone could comment, Dumbledore spoke up. "Mr Weasley," he started indicating towards George, "May you please continue to read before any fight possibly brakes out? Thank you, very much."

George obeyed.

**Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin ****gave a snort.**

"Perfect timing!" exclaimed a few students at the same time.

"Wait a minute … Moony, were you really sleeping?" asked Sirius, confusedly.

"I actually have no clue," answered Remus, just as confused. "Heh heh. I don't really remember …"

**"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.**

**"New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back.**

**"What were you saying, Malfoy?"**

**Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he w****asn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.**

"Especially Professor Moony."

**"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.**

"Coward," muttered Ginny.

**Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.**

**"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this yea****r,"**

"Ronald, language!" snapped Molly.

"Sorry … mum."

**he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -"**

**Ron made a violent gesture in midair.**

**"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful..."**

"Eh he probably would have approved."

"Yeah having no mind and all."

"Shut up Snape!"

"Black, you have no right to say that to me."

"Oh really? We'll see who has the right after I—"

"Sirius, stop!" snapped Remus. "We don't need more fight happening!"

"I wasn't going to fight, I was just gonna … talk …"

**But Professor Lupin was ****still fast asleep.**

**The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks.**

"Whoa! Change in weather!"

**The train rattled, th****e rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.**

**"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.**

**The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.**

**"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast...**

"Of course food is the only thing on your mind at this moment! Not the stormy weather or anything else!"

"GEORGE, QUICKLY!"

"I AM ON IT!"

**"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.**

**"So why're we stopping?"**

"How would I know?" asked Hermione, sharply.

"Oh well, you know everything," stated Ron.

"Oh thanks Ron!"

"Umm, you're _welcome_?"

**The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.**

"It seems like something is about to begin …"

"OBVIOUSLY."

**Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticki****ng curiously out of their compartments.**

**The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.**

The room became tenser, and some of the students were actually quite scared.

**"'Wha****t's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.**

**"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"**

"Haha, imagine Tonks in that situation."

"So not funny Fred, so not funny."

Though, some people were laughing.

**Harry felt his way back to his seat.**

**"D'you think we've broken down?"**

**"Dunno..."**

**There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline**** of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.**

The room was dead silent, as everyone was listening so intently to the story … something big was about to happen, no doubt.

**"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."**

"Ron I don't think they were people …"

**The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.**

**"Sorry - d'you kno****w what's going on? - Ouch - sorry**

**"Hullo, Neville,"**

Neville blushed. "Sorry about that again."

The trio grinned and Harry said, "Honestly Neville, you don't have to worry a bit."

**said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.**

**"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"**

**"No idea - sit down -"**

**There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville ****had tried to sit on Crookshanks.**

"Not a good idea mate, not a good idea …"

**"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.**

Some people, without realizing, gasped.

Many people were really into the story.

**"Who's that?"**

**"Who's that?"**

**"Ginny****?"**

Ginny blushed this time.

**"Hermione?"**

**"What are you doing?"**

**"I was looking for Ron **

"Aww was Ginny scared …" said Fred, smircking.

"Fred don't make me hex you!" warned Ginny.

Fred shut up. There was no way he wanted to get hexed in front of everybody in the whole Great Hall by his little sister.

**-" "Come in and sit down -"**

**"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"**

**"Ouch!" said Neville.**

**"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.**

"It's seems like Professor Moony has finally woken up," added George.

**Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner.**

**None of them spoke.**

**There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flam****es. **

"Whoa, how do you do that?" asked a student, awestruck by that ability.

"Aww it's really not that hard—" started Remus.

"Yeah because everyone can just light their hand on fire."

Remus just smiled, and then he preformed the same trick right now, amazing the others and that student especially.

**They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.**

**"Stay where you are," he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.**

**But the door slid slowly open before**** Lupin could reach it.**

**Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his**** stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water...**

Those who knew about Dementors ALL shuddered, Dudley Dursley included. And those who didn't know about Dementors also cringed at the description, and knew by now what they were.

"D-d-dementor?" asked one kid though, just to make sure.

Harry just nodded, gloomily.

**But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloa****k sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.**

**And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surround****ings.**

More cringing …

George decided to now start _quickly _reading this part, so everyone wouldn't be put up with this stuff too long.

**An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart...**

"V-very accurate descriptions Harry," stammered Sirius, though he was not intending that as a compliment.

**Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drownin****g in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder. .**

**And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. **

Harry shivered remembering that horrible sensation he had faced.

"George read quicker!"

"I'm trying mum, I'm trying!"

**He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to ****move his arms, but couldn't... a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him -**

**"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?"**

**Someone was slapping his face.**

**"W - what?"**

**Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking -**** the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face.**

**Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.**

**"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.**

**"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had ****vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?"**

**"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.**

**Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale.**

"See Harry, I'm just saying that you shouldn't even feel a bit disappointed at that point, because as you can see, we were all quite terrified. And why I am saying this? Because I knew you would or maybe are doubting yourself," stated Neville very reassuringly.

Harry smiled. "Haha thanks Neville.

Neville beamed right back at him.

The tension seemed to lower a bit at this point.

**"But I heard screaming -"**

**A l****oud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.**

"Whoa you really can't help your chocolate addiction can you, professor?" asked Lee, cheekily.

"It wasn't for me! Well not all of it …" protested Remus.

**"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."**

**Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.**

"Hmph didn't trust me …"

"Well I did feel like throwing up at that point …"

**"What was that th****ing?" he asked Lupin.**

**"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."**

"Man, those are darn scary!" exclaimed a student and everyone agreed.

**Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.**

**"Eat," he repe****ated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me...**

**He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.**

**"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.**

**"I Don't get it... What happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.**

**"Well - that thing - the dementor - stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face)**

"Thankfully," added Hermione afterwards, still shooken up a bit from the descriptions of the Dementors earlier.

**- and you - you**

**"I thought you were having a fit ****or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching – **

Many students sent sympathetic looks towards Harry.

_Great. Now everyone thinks I'm weak or still going through that now or something _thought Harry, bitterly. _But I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, RIGHT? I think anyone would do the same as me … in many circumstances …_

**"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, ****'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. **

Sirius frowned at the memory of those Dementors, and how they and pretty much hunted him—and tried to kill him.

**Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it,**

Many students looked confused.

"A patronus charm," explained Hermione. "Don't worry, you'll hear about it way more, later on."

**and it turned around and sort of glided away... "**

**"It was horrible," said Neville, in a ****higher voice than usual.**

Neville once again blushed, but the others just smiled.

**"Did YOU feel how cold it got when it came in?"**

**I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."**

"Yeah, that's a perfect description …" said Dudley were quietly, saying something for the first time. When people started at him confusedly, he also added, "Um, they attacked me once but then … but then Harry saved me …" No dirty looks were sent at him this time, except for his parents because he had just acknowledged Harry, but he ignored that. Instead, sympathetic looks were sent his way.

He then also added after, "Thanks for that, Harry."

Harry was shocked. _Is Dudley ACTUALLY THANKING ME? _All he did was smile at him though, since he was wordless, and Dudley appreciatively smiled back at him. _Is it true that people can actually change this much?_ And what surprised him even more was that Dudley was ignoring his parents fuming expressions.

_Wow, maybe they can change a lot … for the better of things. _Thought Harry. _Maybe Dudley is actually finally starting to realize things …_

**Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gav****e a small sob;**

Current Ginny, was only frowning.

**Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.**

Ginny smiled at her.

**"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.**

"It doesn't really matter Harry, as we were all scared out of our wits," said Ginny reassuring.

**"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."**

**Harry didn't under****stand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he were recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?**

"Harry, you have no right to be ashamed!" exclaimed Molly, sharply.

**Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, ****and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."**

"Well after our last two nuthead teachers, you really couldn't blame us …" said Ron

**Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.**

"And that is the magic of chocolate!"

**"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "A****re you all right, Harry?"**

**Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.**

"Who doesn't know Potter," muttered Snape, but Lupin just ignored him when he said,

"Well Harry, that was because you looked exactly like James, except for your eyes of course."

Harry had heard that so many times, but he still in fact, enjoyed that compliment, no matter how many times it was sent towards him. He beamed.

**"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.**

**They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scr****amble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.**

**"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice.**

Mostly everyone's heads turned towards Hagrid, who was beaming.

"It looks like I'm finally bein' introduced" stated Hagrid, happily.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione**** turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.**

**"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They w****aved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students,**

"It's different every year, isn't it, eh?"

**each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse,**

"Not an invisible horse, Harry," said Luna. "Anyone who has witnessed death can see them."

The others shuddered at the thought of how the horses maybe looked.

**because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.**

**The coach smelled fain****tly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again.**

"I guess that wasn't really improving your state, was it," rhetorically asked Ron.

**As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked w****ith stone columns topped with winged boars,**

**Harry saw two more towering, hooded dementors, standing guard on either side.**

"No way!" exclaimed a first year. "They had guarded the school?"

"Unfortunately, yes," answered Dumbledore, staring towards the Ministry.

"Well, we were just trying make it so that Black couldn't enter the castle," said Fudge, without being spoke to, very bitterly.

McGonagall spoke this time. "Yes we know, but Dementors weren't a very good solution. You can perfectly tell how they are, from the book."

Fudge looked like he was about to say something, but he just scowled.

**A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed**** the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.**

**As ****Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.**

"Malfoy," the Golden Trio muttered all together.

"**You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"**

"Well Malfoy, you probably would have to, you know, judging by the expression on your face right now. And after all, we are just reading," sneered Ron.

That was true, Draco did look very pale at this moment, and instead of sending a snarky comment back towards Ron, he simply stayed quiet.

**Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and h****is pale eyes glinting maliciously. "Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.**

Ron was literally growling right now.

**"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary **

"Scary is an understatement," muttered a student.

Draco was still dead silent at this point.

**old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"**

**"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor L****upin had just gotten out of the next carriage.**

"Yay! There is Professor Moony to save the day!" exclaimed Sirius very childishly, causing the others to laugh, and a pretty long while.

Snape however growled. "How Ironic," he muttered, remembering all of the old memories of Hogwarts between him and those Marauders.

**Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase.**

Remus frowned, knowingly. This was a very normal thing, and he also expected this from pretty much everyone. Judgement.

"He may have patched robes, but Professor Lupin is the best teacher we have ever had! Sorry to the others …" said a student, and the others nodded.

Remus was beaming.

**With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no - er - Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the st****eps into the castle.**

"Malfoy you bloody git, SHUT UP!" exclaimed a student.

**Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a m****agnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.**

"It looks like very-descriptive-Harry-in-a-good-way is back!" exclaimed a grinning Fred.

**The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "P****otter! Granger! I want to see you both!"**

"Uh oh."

**Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd.**

Though she didn't show it, Minerva was very happy to see herself finally, _properly_, introduced in this book.

**She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a**** tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles.**

_Accurate _thought McGonagall.

**Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong.**

"Well I certainly don't mean to do that intentionally, Mr Potter," stated McGonagall, with a smile.

**"There's no need to look so worried - I ju****st want a word in MY office," she told them. **

"You know that is never good news," said Sirius while The Golden Trion, The Twins, Remus and Tonks all nodded.

The other teachers and other adults all sighed along with McGonagall.

**"Move along there, Weasley."**

"And I was discluded why?" asked Ron.

"For reasons," was McGonagall's answer.

**Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a co****rridor.**

**Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were ****taken ill on the train, Potter."**

"That was rather quick."

**Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.**

Pomfrey had a huge smile on her face. She was now being introduced, also.

**Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, wit****hout everyone making all this fuss.**

**"I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything**

**"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"**

"As always, sadly," muttered Molly. "Honestly Harry, when are you ever doing something that isn't dangerous?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess, sometimes."

**"It was a deme****ntor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.**

**They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked**

"Clucked?" asked Pomfrey, still smiling.

"Well, you can't really question—" started Fred.

"—the descriptive words Harry uses—" added George.

"—since he probably has no clue—"

"—what he is talking about either."

"Hey! Exclaimed Harry defensively. "I perfectly understand what I am talking about."

"Okay Harry, if you insist—"

"—but you still cannot blame us—"

"-if we have certain doubts."

"George, just keep reading," sighed Harry, and luckily, George obeyed, smirking of course.

**disapprovingly.**

**"Setting dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead.**

Fudge scowled.

**"He won't be the last one who collapses****. **

"See Harry?" asked Neville. "Other people do too …"

**Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate**

**"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.**

"Aww, is ickle Harry upset?"

"Hay Ginny, could you possibly hex him?"

"Gladly, Harry."

"Or maybe I'll just start reading again!"

**"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.**

**"What does he need****?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"**

**"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture.**

"You really shouldn't care about what he thinks Harry," reassured Hermione. "He's just an idiotic git."

**"Well, he should ha****ve some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, **

"See it actually helps!"

"Nobody denied that fact Remus, but of course you couldn't help yourself.

"Shut it, Sirius."

**who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.**

**"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."**

**"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we****'ve finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"**

Remus smiled at her.

**"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.**

**"Yes, "said Harry.**

**"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Gran****ger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."**

Ron and Harry sighed remembering all about Hermione's crazy, hectic, messed-up schedule two years ago. Thankfully, she wasn't do the same thing now.

**Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very ha****ppy about something,**

"How could you possibly be happy about extra classes?" whispered Ron.

"Well how can you possibly be so happy when food is mentioned in anything?" whispered Hermione back.

"Good point."

**followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.**

**It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmerin****g by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick,**

He was grinning. He was finally being introduced into the story!

**who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.**

**"Oh," said Hermione ****softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"**

**New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor,**

The Gryffindors cheered.

**Ravenclaw, **

The Ravenclaws cheered.

**Hufflepuff,**

This time, it was the Hufflepuffs turn.

**or Slytherin).**

And the Slytherins also cheered.

**Professor McGonagall strode off tow****ard her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the dementor traveled that fast?**

"Well it's Hogwarts and we all know how stuff like that spreads."

**He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats.**

**"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.**

**Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.**

Dumbledore warmly smiled, his eyes twinkling.

It was finally his turn to be brought into the story.

**Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon**** spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose.**

Dumbledore chuckled at that.

**He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age,**

"Why thank you Harry."

Fudge scowled.

**but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the dementor had entered the train compartment.**

Everyone else completely entirely agreed with that perfect description.

**"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very**** serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."**

"Excellent is an understatement!" exclaimed Ron, dreamily.

**Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing ****host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."**

Some of the adults scowled at the Ministry Employees and Fudge.

**He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school.**

"Very true."

**"They are stationed at every entra****nce to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," **

The people who knew of the cloak, chuckled.

"Well that's specific!" exclaimed Fred.

**he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. **

As they were doing right now.

**"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.**

**Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively.**

The Weasley children scowled, and Percy did too.

**Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or ma****de a sound.**

**"On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.**

"Only Professor Dumbledore, only Professor Dumbledore."

**"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."**

**There was some scattered, ra****ther unenthusiastic applause. **

The students all started at Remus, and they took a moment to figure out what to do next.

They all started clapping for him, this time VERY enthusiastically, and some were even cheering. Even some of the guests started too, and some professors, and of course Harry and guys did too.

And the expected people were scowling. A.k.a Umbridge, the Ministry, Severus, some specific Slytherins (you know) and Vernon and Petunia (not Dudley).

However, ignoring them, Remus was beaming way more than before and all he could say what a stammered, "T-t-thanks!"

"Well that's what you have deserved!" exclaimed a student.

**Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.**

He blushed a bit, but nobody now seemed to care about that fact.

**"Look at Snape!" Ron**** hissed in Harry's ear.**

**Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape ,anted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job,**

"Potter, you really do know nothing," said Severus, bitterly.

**but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expre****ssion twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. **

"Expected," muttered Sirius.

**Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.**

The adults and professors scowled at Snape.

**"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm app****lause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs**

Some people sniggered.

**However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid,**

Many people from the Gryffindor table cheered (not just students), causing Hagrid to blush and grin.

**who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumult****uous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.**

"Aww Hagrid …"

**"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the tab****le. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"**

Hagrid blushed. "Sorry guys. I really didn' mean for that book ter hurt ya."

"Haha, we know Hagrid!" Hermione replied.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.**

**"Well, I think that's everythi****ng of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"**

**The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat.**

Dudley was awestruck once again. This feast sounded amazing.

**It was a delicious feast; ****the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. **

Many people started at him sympathetically, causing him to blush an even redder colour than before.

**It had been Harry, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.**

"And I won' ever forget it yer guys!"

**At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the go****lden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.**

**"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.**

**"All down ter you three," said Hagrid, wiping his shining f****ace on his napkin as he looked up at them., "Can' believe it... great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... It's what I always wanted. -"**

The others who had hated Hagrid's classes so much, really started to feel bad now.

**Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napk****in, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, UP more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower's large portra****it of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"**

**"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"**

**"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords****.**

:So true," Neville muttered.

**Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stair with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back.**

"Yes, there is no place like Hogwarts!" exclaimed Harry.

**They reached their familiar, circular dormito****ry with its five four-poster beds, and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.**

"Chapter is done!" announced George. "Who wants to read next?"

"Ooo! Me!" exclaimed Fred, as George passed him the book.

**Talons And Tea Leaves **read Fred.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: Okay, now THIS is my longest chapter so far! :D**

**Oh yeah, and sorry, this chapter was sort of delayed. -_-**

**But, thank you all very much for reading!**

**See ya for now! **

40


	7. Chapter 7: TALONS AND TEA LEAVES

**A/N: Sorry for the huge delay guys. Hadn't had time to update with school, soccer/basketball and stuff like that. So sorry about it. Thank you guys all for waiting though. And thank you for reviewing, favouriting and following! I'll try not to make that happen again.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter.**

**TIME MANAGEMENT I MUST HAVEZ. **

**Edit-Oh yeah, haha. Trelawney is involved in reading-I just haven't mentioned her yet. **

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

TALONS AND TEA LEAVES

**Talons and Tea Leaves **read Fred. "Sounds like a pretty interesting recipe."

"Oh I assure you Fred, it ain't a recipe," corrected Harry. Having a pretty good idea of what this chapter was about.

**When Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy,**

"What a horrible sight for the morning," stated George.

"Or a horrible sight just in general."

"Shut it Weasley!" growled Malfoy.

"Which one are you applying to?" all of them asked in sync.

Malfoy looked like he was going retort to that, but McGonagall sent him an annoyed look and a look of order to continue on.

**who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story.**

"Of course he is …" stated Ron, dryly.

**As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit**

"Honestly Malfoy, how childish are you?" asked Angelina.

Draco felt no need to reply to her.

**and there was a roar of laughter.**

"Laughing at Malfoy's joke? BWA."

**"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."**

****"You just can't handle a good joke," muttered Pansy Parkinson.

Hermione felt no need to reply either.

**"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug.**

Parkinson scowled, while somebody complimented, "Great accuracy on the description Harry! It's perfect!"

**"Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"**

"SO traumatized." ****

**Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.**

"Good Harry, be the better person," said Sirius to himself.

**"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Harry?"******

**"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.**

McGonagall sighed, the feud in between the two of them-and the families, would never end. **  
****George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.******

**"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"**

Malfoy blushed.

"And the secret is revealed." ****

**"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.**

Students laughed at that. ****

**"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..."**

"Truly."****

**"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.**

"Oh, that's an understatement. It's much worse than that," said Sirius and Hagrid nodded quickly. ****

**"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.******

**"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking...**

"It was one of the most horrific experiences ever," agreed Arthur.

**They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."**

"Or most of them are already have a loose bolt when they get there," Moody said gruffly. "And if not, yes they are sure to go mad."

"Yeah … I nearly went mad too …" stated Sirius, shivering a little thinking about Azkaban.

_Nearly went mad … he's already mad! He almost killed me once! _Though Snape, angrily.

"Come to think of it, how didn't you go mad?" asked Tonks curiously.

Sirius gave a small smile. "It was all of you guys that kept me going. Knowing that I still had family to get to-friends to get to-that's literally what kept me sane."

They all smiled back at him.

"Well I'm glad you didn't turned out crazy," stated Remus, grinning. "Okay, maybe not _completely _crazy." The others laughed at that, and Sirius grinned back.

**"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"**

"Yes! Quidditch!"

**The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse.**

"That's right Harry!" exclaimed Katie Bell.

**Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to sausages and fried tomatoes.******

**Hermione was examining her new schedule.******

**"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.******

**"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look - they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."**

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked at each other and grinned at that and each other.

Everyone else, and the other students all looked confused: at why the three were grinning, and at how Hermione could possibly manage that. Everyone except for McGonagall and especially-Dumbledore, that is. ****

**"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."**

McGonagall couldn't help herself, and also sort of grinned.

Sirius then piped. "What's that mean?"

"Oh you'll see soon enough. The book will explain it all."

Sirius frowned.****

**"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination.**

Hermione scowled. Oh how she hated that subject.

Trelawney frowned at her. She wasn't too fond of having Granger in her class either.

Lavender and Parvati though, as Divination was their favourite subject, smiled at Trelawney-their favourite teacher.

**And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies.**

"Wait a second, why are you taking muggle studies if you already know everything about them?" asked Fred.

"Now that's just unnecessary," added George.

Hermione already had a response for this. "Well, I wanted to see how muggles were viewed from a witch's or wizard's point of view."

"Only you Hermione."

"Yes, only you."

**And -" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look - underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"******

**"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."**

"But it says it right there …"****

**"Well then -"******

**"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.******

**"But -"******

**"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. **

"I was just wondering …" sighed Ron.

Ginny snickered.

**"I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."******

**Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. **

"YAY! HAGRID!" exclaimed Tonks, knowing Hagrid quite well from her time being at Hogwarts also- and Hagrid blushed.

**He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.**

Hagrid blushed even more-yet grinned. He was a bit excited to see how the others thought about him, and how he was from other peoples points of view. ****

**"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready...hope it's OK...me, a teacher...hones'ly..."**

"Excited about your first lesson, weren't you?" asked Remus, grinning. He understood that exact feeling.

"Yer right," replied Hagrid, also grinning. ****

**He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.******

**"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.******

**The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.******

**"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there..."**

"Totally not worth it though," whispered Ron to Harry afterwards.

******They finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit.**

"Immature git."

**The shouts of laughter followed Harry into the Entrance Hall.**

Many people were glaring at Malfoy, Ron and Sirius's glares: the worst. ****

**The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle,**

"Aww come on Harry. We had basically figured out the whole castle by our second year!" whined Sirius. "I expect better …" though he said that in a joking way, and Harry and a few others laughed.

"Sirius!" Molly exclaimed, "Don't encourage him to get into _trouble_!"

"Don't worry Mrs. Weasley," assured Harry. "I don't go looking for trouble-trouble usually finds me." he finished off by pulling out his famous quote. The others laughed at this.

Though, the twins look astonished. "It took you, _Marauders_, two _whole_ years to figure out the whole castle?" asked a stunned George.

"We has nearly figured it all out by our first year!" Fred added.

"Something I am not too happy about!" added Molly in afterwards.

"It is so disappointing to hear this …" said George with a fake look of real sadness on his face.

"Yes, you guys have broken out hearts," added Fred, mimicking George's expression.

Sirius was about to say something when Remus countered. "Well guys … for a fact … we didn't have the Marauders Map to help _us _out! So, you guys basically had a head start …" Sirius nodded in agreement to that statement, and approval.

"Well, I guess you're right there-"

"-so it's about even."

All of a sudden then Tonks added, disappointedly. "It took me about three years to nail about three quarters of the school down."

The two Marauders and twins looked at her with absolute horror on their faces. The other people in the room-laughed-although confused about the map.

"How sad, Tonks. I can't believe this," said Sirius, trying to say that seriously. Tonks smiled apologetically.

Dumbledore smiled at all of them.

After a moment , Fred then continued to read, with a huge smirk on his face.

**and they had never been inside North Tower before.**

"And not too many good memories with it," added Harry.****

**"There's - got - to - be - a - short - cut," Ron panted, as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing,**

Many students agreed with him. It was a struggle getting up to that tower.

**where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.**

"Random."

"Strange …?"****

**"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.******

**"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window..."******

**Harry was watching the painting. A fat, dappled-gray pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Harry was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other,**

_Pictures … MOVE? _Thought Dudley to himself. _That's actually pretty neat …_

**but he always enjoyed watching them. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.**

"Sir Cadogan," sated Harry solemnly.

All of the other Gryffindors sighed remembering that one time era in which he had been the portrait to the Gryffindor common room.

The other houses' students looked at them confusedly.

"He was our portrait to the common room and one time," answered Hermione, clearing up their confusion.

"Yes, though, to make a long story short: it was the WORST. EXPERIENCE. EVER," added Ron afterwards, slightly shuddering. ****

**"Aha!" he yelled, seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"**

"The awkward moment when you meet this guy-but it's not really his land." The others laughed at this comment. ****

**They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed facedown in the grass.**

Dumbledore and a few others chuckled at this.

"Well, he should get a good mark for effort though," stated Harry.****

**"Are you all right?" said Harry, moving closer to the picture.******

**"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!"**

The others continued to laugh at the situation. ****

**The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.**

"Well that's sort of a fail …"

"A BIG fail."****

**"Listen," said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"******

**"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"****  
**

"Come on guys, how can you not like this guy? He is just very excited and enthusiastic," stated Sirius.

"Really Sirius?" asked Remus. Sirius grinned.

******He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle lady! On! On!"******

**And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.******

**They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.******

**"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.**

Some people laughed at this. ****

**Puffing loudly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiraling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.******

**"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"**

"Yeah, we'll totally call _you_," Ron muttered, dryly. The others laughed. ****

**"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, **

"Nice to see that you still agree with yourself, Ron."

"Totally Harry, totally!"

**"if we ever need someone mental."**

The laughter continued on.****

**They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.******

**"'Sibyll Trelawney, Divination teacher,'" Harry read.**

Trelawney smiled, it was finally her turn to appear in the story.

**"How're we supposed to get up there?"******

**As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet.**

"AWKWARD." ****

**"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first.******

**He emerged into the strangest-looking classroom he had ever seen.**

"Thank you, my boy," stated Trelawney, taking as a complement.

"Err …-no…-_thank you_?" said-no-_asked _Harry awkwardly. Trelawney smiled at him.

There was a quick moment of silence, until Fred thankfully continued.

**In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop.**

"Not as strange as Umbridge's office though," said Harry, shuddering at Umbridge's office's décor.

Umbridge scowled and was about to say something, until Ron corrected, "No Harry, Umbridge's office can't be described as "strange" it falls under the category "messed-up" or something like that. The other students laughed.

"Well you children obviously have no sense in decoration," replied Umbridge. "Hmph."

"What's it like?" asked Moody to Harry, curiously, completely ignoring Umbridge.

"Oh well it's all pink-" started to answer Harry.

"OI! Pink ain't bad!" defended Tonks.

"Wait! Here me out. So yeah … it's pink-an _ugly _pink colour, all covered in lace and white tablecloths and stuff like that, oh yeah and flowers. But, that's not the bad part-it's covered with all of these creepy china plates with cats and yeah that's pretty much it."

"Well, you forgot to say that the cats never shut up," added Ron afterwards.

Some students shivered at the description. How horrid.

"I HATE cats!" exclaimed Sirius, sourly. McGonagall sent him a questioning look, which caused him to quickly add to his statement, "Well, not _all _cats."

"And I used to sort of like cats," muttered Tonks.

"Well that's not pleasant," finished off Moody. They then began to continue to read.

**At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards,**

"Card games!"

"Not at all."

**countless silvery crystal balls,**

Remus smiled at the mentioning of crystal balls- since many of his students had thought his worst fear was at one point. He sighed. It was not that at all …

**and a huge array of teacups.**

Umbridge had a disapproving look on her face. "You guys claim that's better than _my _office?" she asked them all, angrily.

"Totally," said Fred.

"Glad your brain finally processed something proper," added George. People laughed at this.

"Twins!" whispered Molly to them, though she cared the least bit about Umbridge.

Umbridge then sent Fudge a, _see-what-I-have-to-put-up-with? _look, and he sighed out of frustration.

******Ron appeared at Harry's shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.******

**"Where is she?" Ron said.******

**A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.**

"And I make my appearance," stated Trelawney. "I hope that answers your question, boy."****

**"Welcome," it**

"She," corrected Harry.

**said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."******

**Harry's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect.**

"Interesting. Very interesting," said Trelawney, though in a deep thought. Harry quickly beckoned Fred to continue.

**Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl.**

Trelawney smiled out of satisfaction. That was exactly her.

Umbridge scowled: oh how she hated that teacher.

**Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.******

**"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly**

"A good definition for Divination," added Fred.

**into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.******

**"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."**

"I'm sure about that," muttered Hermione to herself.****

**Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement.**

Dumbledore smiled. Sybill truly was something different.

**y Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen**

"Been forced!" exclaimed Ron, and Harry and Hermione nodded.

**to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.**

_Most useless! _Thought Hermione.

**I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you...Books can take you only so far in this field..."****  
**

Most people found themselves staring at Hermione after this statement, and she scowled.

"And that was of the major factors that caused Hermione to quit Divination," joked Harry, and that sent him a look of annoyance from her.

******At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione,**

Which others were doing now, also.

**who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject.**

"Erm-Hermione, … books aren't everything, you know," said Ron, very nervously. Hermione went silent, and just started at Ron. The Hall was also silent.

During the silence, the comment sent Sirius (and a few others) looking at Remus, waiting to see his reaction to that comment, since Moony was a bookworm himself.

Remus noticed this and said, clearly annoyed, "Sirius stop it! I know what you're thinking! Now stop looking at me, and start listening to the story. Be more serious-ugh!"

Sirius grinned, then said cunningly, "But I am sirius, dear Moony." Remus slapped himself in the face for falling into that one, and the others sighed.

Then, Hermione finally spoke. "Well Ron, how would you know since you've never read a book in your life!"

"Ouch," stated Ginny. "That one must've hurt."

Ron looked at Hermione, and said, defending himself, "OI! For your information Hermione, I _have _read my share of books, and I as well as know that they can't tell you or instruct you in _everything_!"

Hermione looked like she was about to retort, when Harry said to Fred, quickly. "Fred please continue reading before this gets worse!"

"Aww Harry, I was enjoying myself! But, whatever you say …"

**"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs**

"And if by "loud bangs" she means falling or causing lots of unnecessary noises: Tonks has got it!"

"Shut it Sirius!"

"Or Longbottom," informed Severus, causing Neville to blush bright red, "He's just as bad as Nymphadora."

"NOW YOU SHUT IT SNAPE!" Others grinned.

**and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf.**

Neville blushed a brighter red from even before. Though, the others smiled warmly at him.

**"Is your grandmother well?"******

**"I think so," said Neville tremulously.******

**"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, **

"Neville, she's fine now though, correct?" asked Hermione. "Nothing threatening has happened to her, right?"

"Where are you going with this?" asked Harry, she sent him a look to wait.

"Er-yes …" replied Neville, uncertainly.

"See everybody! Divination is useless!" exclaimed Hermione earning her dirty looks from only Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil and maybe a few others who actually enjoyed Divination.

Harry and a few others sighed. "Oh that's where you were going," he stated, dryly.

"Yes, but only to you since you do not have the inner eye!" retorted Trelawney to Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes.

**the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves.**

The students shuddered remembering all of those tea leaf sessions. Not fun.

**Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, **

Parvati looked surprised. She didn't know she would be mentioned in these books.

**"beware a red-haired man."******

**Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.**

The others began to laugh. Parvati blushed a little.

"Of course," muttered Ron.****

**"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball**

Remus grinned again, but Tonks noticed, and whispered to him, "Why do you always grin when crystal balls are mentioned?"

He smiled warmly at her. "I was supposedly terrified of them during the year." Tonks giggled at that.

**- if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice.**

"Well at least you guys learnt when to not hand your homework in," said a student and the others laughed at this.

**And around Easter, one of our number will leave us for ever."**

Ron and Harry and the other members of that class, all started at Hermione, perfectly knowing that it would be her leaving the class "for ever". ****

**A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.**

"Of course," muttered Hermione to herself, this time. ****

**"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown,**

Lavender smiled. She had finally showed up in the story!

**who was nearest and shrank back in her chair,**

She blushed at that.

**"if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"******

**Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.******

**"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading - it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."**

Lavender frowned. That had been the day her bunny died. It was hard to keep herself from crying. ****

**Lavender trembled.******

**"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain.**

"So basically the only thing you did that class was drink tea," stated Tonks. Hermione nodded. "Interesting."

"Very," grumbled Moody. He didn't she how in any way drinking tea could be beneficial for a class.

**Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future.**

"Looks like you guys actually did use some books," stated Lee, grinning. Hermione blushed.

**I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," - she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."**

"I don't see how Divination is useless. That was a _true _prediction!" muttered Lavender to Parvati just loud enough so Hermione could hear them. She scowled. ****

**Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china.**

Neville blushed, once again, and Snape had a satisfied expression from being right on his previous comment.

**Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind...thank you..."******

**When Harry and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.******

**"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"******

**"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry.**

"Well that was predictable," stated Sirius and some people laughed. "After all, it is just a tea cup."

"Oh, I'm sure it's more than that," stated Trelawney, with no expression, whatsoever.

**The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid.**

Hermione nodded, and Trelawney looked like she was amused by this. ****

**"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.******

**Harry tried to pull himself together.******

**"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross..." He consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' - sorry about that –**

"Harry you're apologising why?" asked Arthur.

"Err-well-nobody likes to suffer!"

**but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on...that means 'great happiness'...so you're going to suffer but be very happy..."**

"All in all, pretty good," said Ginny to Ron. "… I guess …"****

**"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron, and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.**

The others didn't have to-and they started to laugh.

"Actually I agree with you boy," she said to Ron. "His inner eye does need to be looked at."

Harry blushed, while Ron smirked at him. ****

**"My turn..." Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..."**

Fudge had a blank expression on his face. ****

**He turned the teacup the other way up.******

**"But this way it looks more like an acorn...what's that?" **

"And you must get check your inner eye too!" exclaimed Trelawney, and this time Harry smirked while Ron blushed.

**He scanned his copy of Unfogging the Future. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. **

"Oh Ronald," sighed Moll

**And there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal...yeah, if that was its head...it looks like a hippo...no, a sheep..."**

"Yeah, you defiantly need to get your inner eye checked," agreed Ginny, and Trelawney sent her an approving look. The others laughed at the comment.****

**Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter.**

"Couldn't hold it in any longer," said Harry, smiling. ****

**"Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.******

**Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise.******

**"The falcon...my dear, you have a deadly enemy."**

The Hall was silent, as everyone was now intently listening. ****

**"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.******

**"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."**

The Hall was still silent.****

**Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. **

"Boys that's not a good thing!" scolded Molly, and Hermione apolitically smiled at her.

**They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. **

"Yeah, we're all surprised too," said a student," and a few people chuckled at this comment.

**Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it.******

**"The club...an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..."**

"Happy cup?"

"Yeah, it lacks some sugar."****

**"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.**

A few people chuckled at this, also. ****

**"The skull...danger in your path, my dear..."****  
**

"It's just not fair," said Sirius all of a suddenly, frowning.

"What's not fair?" asked Harry, clueless.

"Everything that happens to you isn't fair!"snapped Sirius. "IT JUST ISN'T!"

Everyone was silent.

"IT ISN'T FAIR AT ALL. YOU WERE ONLY THIRTEEN THERE, AND YOU HAD TO WORRY ABOUT DYING! THAT JUST ISN'T RIGHT! IT ISN'T FAIR THAT'S ALL OF THE BAD AND DANGEROUS STUFF HAS TO HAPPEN TO YOU, HARRY! YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS! NOTHING! YOU'RE COMPLETELY INNOCENT!" screamed Sirius, who was now panting, and looking absolutely deranged. "IT-"

"Calm down Sirius!" exclaimed Remus, interrupting him. "Please!"

"NO I WILL NOT CALM DONE REMUS! NOT WHEN-"

It was Dumbledore who then interrupted him, "Yes Sirius, we know you are mad, but we all are! Also, we do all know that Harry did nothing to deserve this-you are right-but you need to calm down," he reassured in his most calming voice.

Sirius sent Dumbledore a dirty look, and was about to continue ranting, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of his godson's face. He then sighed, took a deep breath, and shut his eyes. He opened them a few seconds later and noticed that everyone was starting at him, he probably looked absolutely mental when he screaming.

Though, he then spoke, "Er-Fred, could you please continue?"

Fred obeyed.

******Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.**

"HARRY REALLY HAD BEEN DRINKING COFFEE!" exclaimed a student, with a fake expression of worry on her face, breaking the silence that Sirius had created. The others laughed at this comment, Harry was amongst them

Sirius looked calmer, though he was still frowning.

Trelawney sighed though. Some of these students just understand the true meaning of Divination.

******There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. **

Neville's face was a bright pink colour once again.

**Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.******

**"My dear boy - my poor dear boy - no - it is kinder not to say - no - don't ask me..."****  
**

The others frowned, and began to listen more closely once again.

******"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once.**

Dean smiled though, he was also in the story!

**Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup.******

**"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."**

A few people who weren't there, gasped and rest of everyone looked utterly confused.****

**"The what?" said Harry.**

Harry sighed, having the Grim symbol appear, really wasn't a good thing. ****

**He could tell that he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at him and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.******

**"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog**

"Not all dogs are bad signs though," Sirius quickly defended: he just couldn't help himself.

**that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen - the worst omen - of death!"**

The Hall was silent, and everyone had their eyes on Harry, making him feel very uncomfortable. He then remembered worse stuff would be mentioned, and he sighed. He really didn't like this book at all. Not one bit. ****

**Harry's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts - the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent...**

Harry looked at Sirius, and though still completely angered-Sirius smiled at him.

Harry then broke the silence. "Don't worry guys, I was and _am _perfectly fine. And besides-that dog I saw at those times were probably just somebody's pet or something like that.

"But still Harry," said Molly worriedly. "You could-no-_were_-still in danger that year."

"I know, but as I said before. Danger usually comes finding me," replied Harry solemnly.

**Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.******

**"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.**

The others grinned at Hermione-while Trelawney sent her an annoyed look for that comment. ****

**Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.**

"It's done! They are officially enemies now. How great!"

"Ronald!"

"Of course I meant that sarcastically, Mother."****

**"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."**

Hermione scowled. ****

**Seamus Finnigan**

Seamus smiled, he was surprised, yet happy, to find out he was mentioned it the book, also.

**was tilting his head from side to side.**

Some people chuckled at this reaction.****

**"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.**

Now people broke out into laughter, and Trelawney also sent him a disapproving and an annoyed look.****

**"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even himself by surprise.**

People sighed.

"Poor Harry," whispered Molly to herself.

**Now nobody seemed to want to look at him.******

**"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. **

"Finally," muttered Sirius, annoyed at this whole case-scenario.

**"Yes...please pack away your things..."******

**Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes.****  
**

"Sorry 'bout that Harry," apologised Ron.

"It's okay Ron," replied Harry, smiling.

******"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear," - she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."****  
**

Neville blushed once again, though others were smiling warm at him.

******Harry, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson.**

"Ah, good 'ole Transfiguration," stated Sirius, with a small smile on his face. "One of the best subjects."

McGonagall smiled at him, causing Tonks to whisper to him. "You teacher's pet." Sirius sent her a dirty look, while she innocently smiled.

**It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.**

"I am very offended that you guys had forgotten where my classroom was, how shameful, even my Gryffindors," stated McGonagall sternly, though she was joking. This caused laughter to erupt in the hall

"It was Ron's fault, he was leading us!" exclaimed Harry quickly while Hermione and the others continued to laugh.

"WAS NOT!" defended Ron.

******Harry chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though he were sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at him,**

Reminded of the Grim, the Hall grew a lot tenser.

His class sent him apologising looks. "Sorry about that, Harry," apologised Dean and the others nodded in agreement.

"It's fine guys, really, I'm sort of used to it by now …" replied Harry.

**as though he were about to drop dead at any moment. **

"Now that wouldn't be a good thing," added Fred afterwards trying to change the mood.

**He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals),**

"Whoa, that's a bit creepy you were learning that," stated Sirius.

"Sirius, it is normal for a third year to be learning about Animagi in their curriculum. I don't see how that could be creepy," stated McGonagall, sternly. The Hall, once again, was filled with laughter.

"Oh ha ha very funny," muttered Sirius. "Though, I reckon it's probably foreshadowing," he added afterwards. The people who understood, nodded in agreement, while those who didn't understand, looked more confused.

**and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes.**

Some of the new students stared at her in awe. She could transform into an animal, how cool! ****

**"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."****  
**

"So you sort of just suspected all of that praise now, eh, Minnie?" asked Sirius, grinning.

"Sirius, I hardly think it is appropriate to be calling me that," McGonagall said sternly response. She didn't answer the other part though-and Fred continued.

******Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.******

**"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, **

"And that explains it all."

**and we were reading the tea leaves, and -"******

**"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"**

People grinned at this response.

"It's a normal thing for the first Divination class," said McGonagall, shrugging. "No need to worry to any of you who are."

Trelawney sent McGonagall an annoyed look.****

**Everyone stared at her.******

**"Me," said Harry, finally.******

**"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school.**

"So thankfully there was no need to worry," added Molly and McGonagall nodded.

**None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class.**

"How delightful," muttered Remus.

**If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -" Professor McGonagall broke off, **

_Before Umbridge came, that is _she thought to herself, disgusted.

**and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..."**

"What where you going at, professor?" asked Trelawney all of a suddenly. "Where you suggesting that I am not a true seer?"

"No, not at all Sybill, I was just questioning _some _of your predictions. Not all of them are usually true," answered McGonagall, sternly.

"That may be true, but most of them are true, don't you forget that."

"I know, I happened to just be stating my opinion on one thing." Then before Trelawney could reply, she sent Fred a commanding look to continue, which he did. ****

**She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."**

Everyone grinned once again, and Harry let out a chuckle of laughter. ****

**Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom.**

"Exactly Harry! Don't let tea scare you one bit!"

"I'll keep that in mind, Tonks. Thanks."

**Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"**

Trelawney sent McGonagall a look, though McGonagall just raised her eyebrows in response to this.****

**When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.******

**"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."******

**Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.******

**"Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"**

"I had seen a big black dog," replied Harry. "Sadly," he added afterwards.

"Hey!" whispered Sirius to Harry. "I am truly offended." Harry grinned.****

**"Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."**

Everyone got quiet, remembering that chapter. The Hall become tenser once again, also.****

**Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.******

**"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.**

Sirius then sent her an offended look, jokingly of course. ****

**Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.******

**"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's - that's bad," he said. "My - my uncle Bilius saw one and - and he died twenty-four hours later!"**

"Ron, I am pretty sure that wasn't the whole story," corrected Bill. "He was also very old and weak …"

"Yes, VERY old and weak," agreed Molly.

"But still Mom, it was after he had seen the Grim!" exclaimed Ron. ****

**"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.**

"Yes, I agree with Hermione," agreed Bill and Charlie also nodded. Ron sighed.****

**"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"**

"Because of the reputation."****

**"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright.**

"That might be a reason."

**The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"**

"Thank you, Hermione."****

**Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.******

**"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."**

Trelawney sent her a look.****

**"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.**

Trelawney smiled, this biy actually knew what he was talking about.****

**"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.**

"Nice one, Hermione!" exclaimed Ginny, proudly. Hermione smiled while Ron rolled his eyes.****

**"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"**

"Oh no you didn't!" exclaimed George.****

**He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.**

"Now you've done it Ron!"

"Be quiet George, I get the point!"****

**"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves,**

"It means much more," corrected Trelawney. Hermione rolled her eyes this time.

**I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"**

"Wait, the book didn't say you went to Arithmancy class," stated a student.

"Yeah!" added another one. "There was no way you could've been there!"

"But I was," replied Hermione.

"How then?"

"Oh, I'm sure the book will tell you soon enough," Hermione concluded, grinning. The student grumbled in frustration.****

**She snatched up her bag and stalked away.******

**Ron frowned after her.******

**"What's she talking about?" he said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."**

"Just what we were saying," said the first student.**  
**

**)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(**

******Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.**

Hagrid smiled. It was time for the book to mention his first class. Though, that smile quickly vanished. The same class had been where the Malfoy boy had been injured and where Buckbeak had been later sentenced to execution. Suddenly, he wasn't looking forward to hearing it all over again.****

**Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other.**

"Which is actually pretty normal," added Fred, causing Hermione and Ron to both blush.

**Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.**

"Which was awkward," muttered Harry.

**It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. **

The Gryffindors and Slytherins both frowned. The two houses hated having classes together. Dumbledore sighed, the two houses would never get along, and that was very unfortunate.

**Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. **

"Oh, it's those idiots again," muttered Sirius. "I should've known."

**Harry was quite sure he knew what they were talking about.**

"Cause they have nothing better to talk about," muttered Ginny, annoyed.****

**Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.**

"Good old Fang," said Harry, smiling.****

**"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"****  
**

Hagrid's class froze and shuddered remembering their first class. It hadn't gone too well overall …

******For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest;**

"Don' worry Harry. I wouldn' have don' that on my firs' class," reassured Hagrid.

**Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last him a lifetime. **

Molly frowned at this statement. "Harry, you shouldn't be going in the forest!"

"I know, I know. It just sort of, _accidently _happens!" replied Harry.

**However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.******

**"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"**

"The pain!"****

**"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.**

"Oh, you know that motion where you like flip the cover, going onto the next page," stated Ron. "Yeah, that's, that's called opening a book." There was laughter after this statement.

"Shut it, Weasley," said Malfoy through clenched teeth.****

**"Eh?" said Hagrid.******

**"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated.**

"Heard you the first time," sighed Ginny.

**He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.**

The Hall shuddered remembering the book from earlier chapters.****

**"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.****  
**

"Well, as they would try to bite our hands off, not quite,"said Malfoy, casuing some Slytherins to laugh. Hagrid frowned.

******The class all shook their heads.******

**"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.**

"Only Hagrid would get a book that tries to eat you, but will listen to you and open up if you pet it," stated Charlie, grinng.

**"Look -"******

**He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.**

"Awww."

"WEIRD."****

**"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"**

"Cause some of you lack brain cells," muttered Sirius. "And I think we all know who I'm talking about here."

The others laughed at this, and Malfoy turned a nasty red colour out of anger.****

**"I - I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.**

The Hall erupted in laughter and Hagrid blushed.****

**"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"**

"It actually is witty,"****

**"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.**

"Aww, thank you, Harry," said Hagrid, truly grateful.

"It's just the truth Hagrid, and we all wanted your first class to be a success," replied Harry and Ron and Hermione nodded to this.

**"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so - so yeh've got yer books an'...an'...now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."******

**He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.******

**"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes,**

"HAGRID ISN'T AN OAF!" yelled Tonks. "Gosh Malfoy, you really do need to shut up." Many people nodded in agreement to this. Hagrid smiled at her gratefully.

"Spoiled brat," added Sirius. And people also nodded in agreement to this.

Malfoy was about to retort, when Fred cut him off by continuing the story.

**my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"**

"Yeah, since you guys are a bunch of sensitive gits, it seems like," muttered Sirius. "Honestly, why do I have such a messed up family?"

"I wonder the same thing too, Paddy, and you better not mean me it the category "messed-up"," added Tonks.

"Of course not Tonksie, of course not!"****

**"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.******

**"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you -"**

There were glares sent at Malfoy.

******"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.******

**Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.**

The students looked amazed by the description of these magnificent creatures.

"Hippogriffs!" Harry exclaimed.

"This sounds like a very interesting class," said Remus, smiling at Hagrid. ****

**"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.******

**"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"****  
**

"Totally."

******Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.****  
**

"Glad to see yeh 'gree, Harry!" exclaimed Hagrid, happily.

******"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."**

"Ta be honest, I don' think many of yeh really did wanna see 'em," stated Hagrid, and the class all stared at each other.

"Well, they were a bit terrifying," stated Lavender matter-of-factly.****

**No one seemed to want to.**

"Hagrid's point proven."

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously.**

Hagrid beamed at the three of them.****

**"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud,"**

"Very," added Sirius, having his share of knowledge on Hippogriffs too-thanks to Buckbeak.

**said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."**

Malfoy scowled remembering this class. _Stupid hippogriff and Hagrid _he thought. ****

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening;**

"Bad Idea."

**they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.******

**"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see?**

"Oh now I see how some of these students could have trouble with this class. Some of them are also lacking manners on top of lacking brain cells," said Sirius. "And I believe we all know who I am talking about.

Malfoy sent Sirius dirty looks, while the rest of the hall erupted in laughter once again.

**Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."******

**"Right - who wants ter go first?"******

**Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.****  
**

"They're not THAT bad guys," stated Sirius and Hagrid nodded.

******"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.******

**"I'll do it," said Harry.****  
**

Molly sent Harry a worried look, while Sirius sent Harry a proud look. "That's my boy!" he exclaimed. Harry blushed.

"Though, it could've been dangerous," said Molly.

"Don' worry Mrs Weasley, Harry had 'nough sense not to offen' 'em in any way," reassured Hagrid, though Molly still carried the same worry-filled expression.

******There was an intake of breath from behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"**

"The tea leaves had nothing to do with that," Harry stated.****

**Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence.******

**"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."**

Hagrid had to use every ounce of willpower he had to hold down tears-because of remembering Buckbeak.****

**He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.******

**"Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."******

**Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.**

"Ya must gotta be very brave to look a hippogriff in the eye."

**"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry...now, bow."******

**Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. He gave a short bow and then looked up.******

**The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.**

"Uh …"****

**"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it -"******

**But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was****an unmistakable bow.**

"It likes you Harry!" exclaimed a happy student.****

**"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"******

**Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.**

"See Buckbeak isn't that bad," concluded Sirius, and now Hagrid was becoming a little suspicious of why Sirius knew so much about Buckbeak and about why he kept complimenting him. ****

**The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.**

"So you wanted him to get injured?" asked Sirius, angry. "How sick are you guys. YOU DISGUST ME."

"Don't worry Sirius, they get their payback," Harry simply said, and Sirius decided to shut up before he went into another uncontrollable rant.****

**"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"**

"Wait, WHAT?" asked an outraged Molly.

"Don't worry, Mrs Weasley, I was fine," reassured Harry.

"No Harry, you could've easily been hurt!" exclaimed Molly.

"I know, but in the end I was all fine!" Harry exclaimed.

All of a sudden then, a student interrupted the two. "How was it?" he asked Harry, who was caught off-guard.

"Erm-well, it was fine I guess… fun …" answered Harry, uncertainly.

The boy nodded in response to that.

******This was more than Harry had bargained for. He was used to a broomstick; but he wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same.**

"And it wasn't," added Harry, specifically to the boy who had asked him a question about it just seconds ago.****

**"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..."******

**Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. Harry wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of him was covered with feathers.**

"How convenient."****

**"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters.******

**Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry, he just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upward. It was nothing like a broomstick, and Harry knew which one he preferred;**

This caused some laughter.

**the Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of him, catching him under his legs and making him feel he was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under his fingers and he didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of his Nimbus Two Thousand, he now felt himself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.**

The boy who had asked the question simply just concluded, "Sounds cool."****

**Buckbeak flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Harry had been dreading; he leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling he was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. He just managed to hold on and push himself straight again.******

**"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"******

**Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock.**

Hagrid smiled at Harry.

**Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees.**

Neville was once again, blushing.

**Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched.******

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak.**

"Eww, I don't want him to go near Buckbeak," muttered Sirius and Hagrid become more suspicious.

**He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.******

**"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to, hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it...I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"**

The Hall grew silent.

"Shouldn't have said that."

Snape sent Malfoy a disapproving look. Honestly, sometimes that boy was such an idiot-which was a thing he wasn't proud of at all.

Hagrid frowned. One of his worst memories was about to be repeated.

******It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.**

Some students sent him sympathetic glances.

"Idiot Hippogriff," muttered Malfoy. "And idiot teacher. It's all their faults I suffered!"

Before anyone could say anything though, Moody interrupted them all. "Actually, it's more like idiot boy. It is your entire fault, really. Hagrid had given you the full instructions-but you being reckless, chose to ignore-and in top of it all, you being the idiot you are, insulted the Hippogriff. This really sounds like your fault." This caused Malfoy to immediately shut up, and the others to grin and chuckle.

"Yay! Moody!" exclaimed Tonks, grinning.

"Oh calm down Nymphadora, you're getting too excited."

"DON'T CALL ME NYMPHADORA!" The whole Hall pretty much sighed. ****

**"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"****  
**

"Bit of an exaggeration, don't you think, Freddie?"

"I must agree Georgie, way too much of a drama queen-that boy is."

******"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white.**

"Poor Hagrid …"

Malfoy scowled. _Why are the people feeling sorry for that oaf! They should be feeling sorry for me, since I'm the one who got mauled by a damn hippogriff! _Thought Malfoy to himself, and he continued to scowl.

**"Someone help me - gotta get him outta here -"******

**Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.******

**Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.******

**"They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.**

"IT WAS MALFOY'S FAULT!" exclaimed even more than half the Great Hall to her. ****

**"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas.**

"Nice to see you guys all agree with me," Dean stated, dryly.

**Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.**

"Like that helps in that situation."****

**They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.******

**"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.******

**"You think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.**

"Course he will be, it's Madam Pomfrey we're talking about," stated Remus. "I'm sure she's seen worse cuts."

Pomfrey smiled. "Thank you, Remus," she said, and he smiled back at her.****

**"Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.**

"And thank you Harry," Pomfrey thanked again, this time, Harry smiled.****

**"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. **

"Very," agreed Dumbledore.

**"Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him..."******

**They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.******

**"They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.**

"Well, as it wasn't Rubeus's fault, I can't see there being any reason to fire him," answered Dumbledore. Hagrid grinned at him. ****

**"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either.**

And he also grinned at Ron.****

**Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.******

**"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.****  
**

"Agreed."

"Yes, it was certainly a long day."

******They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.******

**"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Harry said suddenly.******

**Ron looked at his watch.******

**"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early..."******

**"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.******

**"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," he said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?"**

"Don't believe so," muttered Sirius.****

**So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.******

**The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight.**

"It was dangerous to go out at that time," stated Molly.

**When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."******

**Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him,**

"Whoa."

"Aww, poor Hagrid."

**and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.******

**"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognized them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."******

**"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.******

**"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Malfoy..."******

**"How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"******

**"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony...covered in bandages...moanin'..."**

"Of course he's gonna say it's still agony, him being a drama queen and all," muttered Sirius.****

**"He's faking it," said Harry at once.**

"Agreed, Harry!"

**"Madam Pomfrey can mend anything.**

Harry was specifically thinking about the incident during his second year, in which Lockhart had made half of the bones in one of his arms, vanish. Fortunately, Madam Pomfrey had fixed that whole mess up with no problems.

**She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."******

**"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably.**

Malfoy was once again receiving many glares from all sides of the Great Hall.

**"They reckon I started too big. **

"Not at all, Hagrid! You were just trying to make it an interesting first class," assured Remus, and Hagrid smiled at him.

**Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later...one flobberworms**

"But really, who wants to be learning about flobberworms when you can be learning about Hippogriffs?" asked Ron, and there were nods in agreement. The answer was pretty clear …

**or summat...Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault..."******

**"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.**

The others nodded once again.****

**"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."******

**"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.******

**Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.**

"Awww …"

Hagrid was currently beaming at the Golden Trio, and they were all beaming back at him.****

**"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.******

**"Ah, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.******

**"What's he done?" said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.******

**"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.******

**Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.******

**"That's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really -"******

**Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realized he was there.******

**"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN, YOU TWO! LETTIN' HIM!"******

**Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the door.**

"Well … that was a change in events." ****

**"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"**

"You are worth is though, Hagrid," corrected Harry and Ron and Hermione nodded. Hagrid shook his head at this.

"Well, the chapter's finished," stated Fred. "Who wants to read next?"

"Pass it here, Freddie!" exclaimed Sirius. "I wanna read now!"

"Shoot. This chapter's gonna be a long one," whispered Remus to Tonks and she broke out into laughter.

"I heard that you know!" exclaimed Sirius and the others broke out into laughter this time."Eh. What can you do?"

He then continued with the story. **The Boggart In The Wardrobe **read Sirius.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter, and to make it up to you guys, it's my longest chapter yet! :)**

**Well, I'll see you guys soon, and my next update will probably be a lot quicker than this one.**

**Sorry about the wait once again, and see you later!**

**|SuperWriterToTheRescue|**

51


	8. Chapter 8: THE BOGGART IN THE WARDROBE

**A/N: Hello everything. SORRY. I haven't got or gotten time to do this yet, busy as always. But I won't quit it. Thanks to everyone for hanging along very patiently. Now here you go:**

**Disclaimer- I ****defiantly**** don't own Harry Potter. **

**Edit-The house-elves are also reading if you didn't know or I forgot to mention.**

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

THE BOGGART IN THE WARDROBE

He then continued with the story. **The Boggart In The Wardrobe **read Sirius.

Severus frowned. He was not looking forward to hearing about his stupid embarrassment once again.

Sirius then added to Remus, "this is your first class, right?"

"As I recall."

"Well it sounds like an interesting one."

"It was," interrupted Harry. "I miss those types of classes." Remus grinned.

"We all do," added Dean.

"But now that we have that toad-" started George

"-we can only just keep on dreaming," finished Fred.

Umbridge scowled and Sirius decided it was a good time to start reading the chapter.

**Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning,**

"It was a win situation-we didn't have to deal with that little prit," muttered Ron. The others nodded and Malfoy frowned.

**when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions.**

"The joy of double potions," muttered Tonks.

**He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Harry's opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.**

"WHICH HE WAS NOT."

"Ron, really?"

"Just needed to clear it up for certain people."

**"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"****"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Harry saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.****  
**

Malfoy glared at the book, but Pansy looked like she didn't care.

**"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.**

"The joy of Snape," muttered Neville. **Harry and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said 'settle down' if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention. **

"That's because you're Gryffindors," stated Luna. "There wouldn't have been much slack for a Ravenclaw either."

**But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes;**

"Aww … isn't Malfoy a good little teacher's pet?" smirked Charlie. The others laughed.

**Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generally favored his own students above all others.**

"Which is sensible in my case," defended Snape. **They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.****"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm -"****"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.**

"The nerve of you!" exclaimed Ginny. "Honestly, how annoying can you be?"

"Well, when you're Malfoy …"**Ron went brick red.****"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy.****Malfoy smirked across the table.****"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."**

Glares were thrown at Malfoy.

**Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.**

"Now Ronald that wasn't going to help the situation," sighed Molly.**"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."**

Some Slytherins grinned.**Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.****  
**

"Very unpleasant."

**"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."****"But, sir -!"**

Now glares were sent at Snape. **Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.****"Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.****Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again.****"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.**

Malfoy grinned. **"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him.****  
**

Harry rolled his eyes.

**Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.****  
**

"Malfoy that 'scheme' is nothing to be proud of. It's just annoying."

"Shut up, Weasley."

**"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.**

Even more people glared at Malfoy now. Hagrid turned a bit red.**"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.****"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," **

Hagrid frowned and shuddered at the thought.

**said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury -"**

"Of course he wouldn't. His precious little boy got a tiny cut-the horror," stated Sirius glaring at Draco. He already hated his father and mother, but he was starting to hate this even more than them. The fact that he was related to all of them didn't help much either.

Draco turned bright red while the others laughed, Sirius continued to read.

**"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.****  
**

"And I wish I had," added Ron.

"Ronald," Molly warned.

**" he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this"**

"Oh yes, lasting …"

**- he gave a huge, fake sigh - "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"**

"I wish it had stayed that way," muttered Harry to Ron. **"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger, **

"Oh yeah, take it out on the caterpillar, that's cool."

**"To try to get Hagrid fired."**

Hagrid frowned. **"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."**

"Yeah the other benefit was that Malfoy didn't have to move his lazy arse to-"

"Ronald!" This time it was Hermione. "Mind your language there's first years in here."

"Okay Mom," Ron replied sarcastically. Molly glared at him and the others laughed.

"She's got a point you kno-"

"I get it!"**A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble.**

"Aww Neville …"

**Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons;**

"And you're not the only one," a first year stated and the others nodded.

**it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse.**

The Slytherins and Snape smirked but Sirius kept reading.

**His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned -****"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.**

The Slytherins were laughing.

"You're a jerk!" stated Tonks to Severus.

"Oh don't worry, he'll get what he deserves," reassured Remus sending Snape a huge grin.

Snape swore under his breath, and sent Remus a death glare. **"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"**

"My my Severus, you know you could be a lot nicer?" suggested McGonagall, "oh yes but you're incapable of it." The others started to laugh and Neville smiled at the professor. **Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.**

Glares were sent at Snape.**"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right -"****"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville.**

More glares, but Neville sent Hermione an appreciative smile.

**"Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."**

"Okay, now that's just SICK," growled Ginny.

"The poor boy," muttered Molly while sending a death glare at Snape.

Dumbledore also sent him a disapproving look.**Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.****"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.****"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."**

"But they didn't find me, and I'm proud to say that!" added Sirius smiling.

Fudge glared at hime.**"Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.****"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."**

"As quick as lightning!"

"Black, keep reading," ordered Moody causing everyone else to laugh and for Sirius to frown.**"Not too far from here ..." Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"**

A few people chuckled at this.**But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed Harry. He leaned across the table.****"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"****"Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly.****Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.**

"You're way more of an idiot than we thought if you believed him," said Hermione to him.**"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."****  
**

"Yeah, you'd last really well out there without your father looking after you," Harry said sarcastically.

**"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.****"Don't you know, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.****"Know what?"****Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh.****"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."**

"Harry's more sensible than that, though," stated Ron. "Malfoy you'd only even last a day on your little 'hunt' if you had one.

Malfoy scowled. "Not at all, I would progress way quicker."

"Oh yeah, sure."**"What are you talking about?" said Harry angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's..."**

The glares were once again aimed at Snape. **Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see.**

"Of course, Hermione."

**Harry and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner.****"What did Malfoy mean?" Harry muttered to Ron as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me - yet."**

"Harry, so polite as always," joked Fred.

Harry laughed.**"He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid..."**

"Ron was right. You could have done some really dangerous things," agreed Arthur.

"What are you talking about Arthur? They always end up getting in trouble-and they did!" exclaimed Molly frowning.

"Yes we did, but it just ends up happening," explained Harry and the two sighed.**The end of the lesson in sight, **

"Thank goodness."

**Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.****"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."**

"YOU ARE TERRIBLE!" yelled a second year. **The Gryffindors watched fearfully. **

Everyone else listened fearfully.

**The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.****There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.**

Everyone cheered in victory. "You did it, Neville!"

Neville blushed. "Thanks to Hermione …"

Hermione smiled at him. "Always there to help."**The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.**

"All is fair in love and war."

"The heck, Sirius?"**"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. **

"Just because they're right? Severus you have got to be kidding me," said McGonagall.

**"I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."****Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, **

"Harry you have to stop taking Malfoy so seriously. He's only filled with rubbish," George said and Fred nodded.

Malfoy was grimacing.

**while Ron was seething about Snape.**

"And Ron, you have to stop taking Snape so seriously. He _is _rubbish," said Fred. George nodded.

"FRED!" yelled Molly. "Stop saying things. He's your professor!"

"I'm just stating the truth, mum."

Ron chuckled. **"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"**

"Hey! There is no need to be yelling at Hermione," said Ginny.**Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around.**

"**Where is she?"****Harry turned too. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch.****"She was right behind us," said Ron, frowning.**

"Now that's just weird."**Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Harry and disappeared.****"There she is," said Harry.****Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.****"How did you do that?" said Ron.****"What?" said Hermione, joining them.****"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."****  
**

"Time-turner?" whispered Moody to Hermione like it was no big deal.

"Yeah actually," whispered Hermione back. "How'd you know?"

"It was obvious."

**"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh - I had to go back for something. Oh no -"****A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Harry wasn't surprised; he could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.****  
**

Students grimaced.

**"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.****"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"****"But -" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."****  
**

"That's what I _thought_," added Ron

**"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. "I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.****"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked Harry.****  
**

"Yes!" exclaimed several people at once.

**¡*¡*¡*¡*¡*¡*****Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.**

"Late for your first lesson? I got some new respect for you," said Sirius, grinning evilly.

"Quiet down Sirius. I don't need you to repeat what the book says!"

"Nah, you're just worried about your reputation. Don't worry we all know you anyways," corrected Sirius. Tonks chuckled.

Umbridge sent him a disapproving look and was whispering something to Fudge.

Remus sighed. It didn't matter though; it wasn't like he had the job anyways.

**They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.**

"Which was a relief," Pomphery stated. The others laughed at Remus blushed.**"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."**

"It already sounds fun!" stated a younger student.**A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.**

"Good old Lockhart," muttered Ron.**"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."****Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, **

"Which is always a good sight," muttered McGonagall sarcastically, and the others nodded in agreement.

**who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.**

"I love this guy!" exclaimed Sirius.**Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.****"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin -"**

People laughed. Some looked confused. Peeves usually didn't say stuff to teachers.

"Yes! He still remembers that song? I can't believe it!" exclaimed Sirius as it was the best thing ever.

"Yay, memories," muttered Remus.

"Oh don't worry Black. He wouldn't forget anything you said. After all the trouble you used to cause together …" stated McGonagall.

Sirius smiled warmly remembering all their adventures, while the others were looking at him strangely. **Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.****"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."**

"Like you care about Filch!" laughed Sirius. **Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves.**

The others frowned at his mention.

**However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.****Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.**

"Getting impatient, eh Moony."

"KEEP READING BLACK."

"Oi! Moody I understood the first time."**"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."****He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.****With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.**

Others students were looking at him with new-found admiration. Remus smiled.**"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.****"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"****They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. **

"Yay Moony! You're doing great!"

**He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.****"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.****The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in.**

"Eww."

**His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."**

"That was probably a good idea," said Harry and all of the students who had been there burst out laughing remembering the Boggart. Snape growled.

**He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."**

McGonagall gave him a dirty look. So did many others.**Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.****  
**

**Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.****"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."**

McGonagall smiled warmly at Remus. "Remus, I am very glad that you were there to boost Longbottom's esteem after Snape's constant bullying."

"I was just helping Neville use and find the qualities he already had," stated Remus. Neville smiled at him, and so did the others.**  
**

**Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.****"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.****  
**

"That doesn't sound to good …" a first year stated. Some other students looked worried.

**"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."**

"Boggart?"**Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.****"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks - I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. **

"Sounds like a Snape in a way," Harry joked and many burst out laughing. Snape glared at Harry, but he ignored him.

"I was actually more like Kreacher," said Sirius. Kreacher glared and muttered some words under his breath.

**This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice."**

Some kids looked at Dumbledore as if he were crazy.**"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"****  
**

"Just what some of us were wondering."

**Hermione put up her hand.****"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."****  
**

Some students looked even more worried.

**"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. **

She grinned here.

**"So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.**

"Sounds like loads of fun."**"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"****Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.**

"It's good to know you care, Harry," smiled Hermione.

"Of course!" exclaimed Harry.**"Er - because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"****"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed.**

"Well sorry …" joked Harry.

**"It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake - tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.**

Some people chuckled.**'The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.**

Many students looked less worried and were now grinning.**"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please...riddikulus!"****"Riddikulus!" said the class together.****"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."****The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.**

"Neville it wasn't _that _bad, was it?" joked Remus. Neville blushed.**"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"****Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.****"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.**

"You're a little too cheerful, aren't you?" asked Sirius.

"Trust me, you would be too if you saw what happened next," said Harry and Remus nodded in reply.**Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."**

McGonagall glared at Snape.**Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.**

"Oh whatever you're thinking must be horrible!" exclaimed Tonks, excitedly. "I'm excited now!"

Lupin grinned.**"Professor Snape...hmmm...Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"****"Er - yes," said Neville nervously. "But - I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."****  
**

Dumbledore chuckled knowing Neville's grandmother. Others laughed too.

**"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"**

Some people who understood what was about to happen began to laugh.**Neville looked startled, but said, "Well...always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress...green, normally...and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."****"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.****"A big red one," said Neville.****"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"**

Sirius (who knew Remus) grinned in anticipation of what was going to happen next.**"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.****"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand - thus - and cry "Riddikulus" - and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."****  
**

The Great Hall burst out laughing.

Snape tried to glare at as many people as he could, but no one cared. Remus was grinning proudly.

"I am impressed," stated Moody, with the ghost of a smile.

"Moony, you're the BEST!" exclaimed Sirius through his bursts of laughter.

"I now know what you meant by 'he'll get his'!" exclaimed Tonks while laughing as well.

After a few minutes though, the laughter had died down just enough for Sirius to be able to read again. He took in a deep breath-he was still grinning like mad thought-and continued to read.

**There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.****"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."****The room went quiet. Harry thought...What scared him most in the world?**

The laughter and happiness and joy in the hall was soon gone. The Hall grew quiet and tense. Harry frowned.**His first thought was Lord Voldemort**

Many people gasped at hearing the name.

**- a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind...****A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak...a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth...then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning...**

The others all looked worried, a few looked scared. There was even a bit of fear in Malfoy's eyes.

Sirius shuddered at the thought of dementors, but slowly continued to read on.**Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.**

"Little spiders?" asked George trying to ease the tension away. Some people smiled.**"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.****Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.**

"Harry," sighed Molly.**"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward...Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot -"**

"Neville you got this," stated Seamus to the book.**They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.**

More people in the Hall smiled.**"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One - two - three - now!"****A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.****Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.**

"Ah!"**"R - r - riddikulus! " squeaked Neville.****There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.**

"Gorgeous," stated Fred.

Many people broke out in laughter.**There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"**

Parvati smiled at the memory.**Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising -****"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.****A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.****"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.****Seamus darted past Parvati.**

Seamus grinned.**Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face - a banshee.**

"Eek."

**She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end - "Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.****The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.****Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then - crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before - crack! - becoming a single, bloody eyeball.**

"Uhhh …." Started Ron.

"Eyeballs can be scary too!"**"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"****Dean hurried forward.****Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand,**

"And hands can also be scary!" defended Dean to Ron.

**which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.****"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.****There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.****"Excellent! Ron, you next!"****Ron leapt forward.****Crack!****Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then -****"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over;**

"Yay Ronniekins!"

"Honey, we are so proud of you!"

"Shut up George and Fred.

**Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but -****"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. Crack!****The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.**

Many people of the Hall looked confused. What exactly was his fear?

"Gosh, you're such a show-off Moony!"**Crack!****"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.**

McGonagall smiled and Neville and Remus.**"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.****"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone...Let me see...five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart - ten for Neville because he did it twice...and five each to Hermione and Harry."**

"Two can play at that game Snape," Remus whispered to Snape with a smile. Snape looked like he was about to hit him.**"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.****"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework,**

"Moony, never mind, you suck! Why in the world are you giving homework? I thought better of you than t-"

"JUST KEEP READING SIRIUS."

"Yeah, you suck Moony."

Moody who was sitting next to Sirius smacked him on the head. He was getting quite fed up.

**kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me...to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."****Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped him from tackling the Boggart. Why?**

Sirius looked confused, as did others. Ignoring Moody Sirius spoke, "Why didn't you let Harry tackled the Boggart?"

Remus replied, "Well, it was the first class and I assumed Harry's fear would be Voldemort. I realized it wouldn't be that good if he appeared …"

Sirius looked at Harry for his point of view. Harry nodded in agreement with Remus and smiled. Sirius then said, "I guess you're right. You do tell him though, right?"

"Yes, Sirius I do, later on."

"Good!" Sirius then continued to read.

**Was it because he'd seen Harry collapse on the train, and thought he wasn't up to much? Had he thought Harry would pass out again?**

Malfoy sneered but Remus said , "Not at all Harry."**But no one else seemed to have noticed anything.****"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.****"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.**

The two of them were grinning.**"And Snape in that hat!"****  
**

Others were grinning.

**"And my mummy!"****  
**

The two twins grinned as well.

**"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.**

Many other students thought the same. Remus smiled at this past statement.**"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.**

"Thank you Ron."**"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. **

"You know you did well if you got Hermione's approval," Tonks confirmed. Remus smiled at her. Hermione glowed.

"Hey!" exclaimed Ron.

**"But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart -"****"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"**

The hall once again burst out laughing, but Hermione glared at Ron.

"Chapter complete! Who wants to read next?" asked Sirius to the crowd.

Moody grabbed the book out of Sirius's hand. "I'll read, Black."

"Well you could have at least asked before takin-" started Sirius.

Moody cut him off. **The Flight Of The Fat Lady **read Moody.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

**A/N: This chapter was a bit shorter than my other ones but hope you still enjoyed!**

**Once again, thank you for putting up with the long wait. I'm less busy now. I'll try to go for more weekly or second weekly updates. But final exams are still coming soon.**

**Anyway thank you! **

**Oh yeah, one last thing. If you're reading my other story, **_**The Harry Potter Awards Show**_**, that will be updated in a few days. **

**Goodbye for now!**

**|SuperWriterToTheRescue|**


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